Twirl
by SARAH DB
Summary: "I haven't seen him in ten years. Since our last day together, when we said goodbye." Fully written. Daily posts. Drabble-ish.
1. Chapter 1

**_"_****_Right before my eyes, I saw my heart come to life," – Remedy by Adele (Album: 25)_**

It was perfect.

The space, was just right.

In a quaint little neighborhood of Seattle, surrounded on all sides by thriving independent businesses.

I wanted it more than anything.

I could imagine it already.

Three rooms large enough to become dance studio's, space in the halls for family to wait and watch, a little room in the back for an office, space up front for a receptionist. I could see the place filled with happy people. Little girls dressed in tutus, their hair in ballerina buns, on Pointe at the bar as I give my lesson.

This space would be where little girls imagined a future in dance.

Where they would become glorious dancers.

Where they would unearth hidden talents.

This is where a little girls dream would start.

And all of this was my dream.

And this space was where it would begin.


	2. Chapter 2

**_"_****_You're like a dream come true," – When We Were Young by Adele (Album: 25)_**

The studio is filled with little girls today. All dressed in shades of pink in their leotards and tutu's.

All I see is little ballerina buns twirling and swirling around the room. Their giggles and laughter heard over the music as I walk in.

"What are we doing in here?" I ask.

My instructor Bree extracts herself from the mob of little girls and comes over to me and laughs.

"It's the end of the lesson so, dancing it out," She tells me.

"Always the best part." I say, bumping her with my shoulder.

"Ms. Bella, come dance." Maggie runs over with enthusiasm in her eyes and cheeks flushed pink from dancing.

I can't help myself.

My bags are dropped to the floor as Maggie grabs my hand pulling me into the circle of tiny dancers. We dance, no routine, just movement and laughter- to always remind them that dancing is more than work.

When I stop that's when I see him.

Standing in the doorway to the room.

It's like looking into my past, he's aged some of course.

In the most perfect way.

But he's still the one that got away.

But what is he doing here?

"Daddy!"

I should have known.


	3. Chapter 3

**_"_****_You and I have history, or don't you remember?"– Rumor Hass It by Adele (Album: 21) _**

The light bronze curls, the emerald green eyes, even the little freckle on her nose.

They're him, all him.

I don't know how I could have missed this. I know every one of my students and they're parents.

How could she be his daughter and I never knew?

Maggie has been taking classes here for months now, multiple times a week. She's becoming one of my best students in the younger class.

And she's his.

I haven't seen him in ten years.

Since our last day together, when we said goodbye.

Keeping in touch with each other was too hard, brought out too many emotions that we couldn't handle while being apart.

Seeing him now brings it all back.

And I never expected that.


	4. Chapter 4

**_"_****_At least I can say I've tried," – Hello by Adele (Album: 25)_**

_"__I'm recommending you for the Julliard scholarship." Ms. Gia says. _

_She stuns me. _

_"__Me?" I ask, sitting in her office after class. Ms. Gia smiles, older than she looks, with a just barley wrinkled face. _

_"__Isabella, you have a gift. The gift of dance is not something you turn away from. You deserve this." There's pride in her voice as she speaks. _

_I've been dancing since I was five. A decision my mother made in the hopes that it would help with my clumsiness. Much to her surprise it did much more than that. It awakened a talent inside me that was never known before and I had been in dance classes ever since._

_Dancing was my dream and my future. I've already moved from my hometown of Forks to live with my mom in Seattle to advance my dancing skills more than the little studios back home would allow. _

_I moved cities, changed schools and lost friends. All to be a better dancer. _

_I never regretted it. _

_With my average height and slight curves, I was not what one thought of when thinking of a ballerina. But I was graceful on stage- different and unique- like no one else. _

_I've been with Ms. Gia now for five years and she has been good to me. As I'm graduating high school soon, and trying to figure out my future-she was one step ahead of me. Knowing what I need and want, before I even have a chance to realize it. _

_"__Thank you." I tell her. There are no other words. _

_"__Do me proud." She tells me. _

_"__I will."_


	5. Chapter 5

**_"_****_There's a fire, starting in my heart," – Rolling in the Deep by Adele (Album: 21) _**

_We met at the library. _

_He went to the private school a few blocks away while I went to the public school down the street, the public library the one place where the two schools seem to mingle. _

_My life was a mix between dance classes and senior year. I wasn't a loner, though. I had friends to eat lunch with, but nobody that clicked with me. _

_They didn't understand my love of dance, my commitment to the art. The need to move and turn to the music, it was foreign to them. _

_I only had school friends, but I was hoping he'd be different._

_He was cute. Bronze, bed-head going in every direction, piercing green eyes. Lean with some muscles, but not overwhelmingly so. _

_We ran into each other in the middle of a book aisle, going for the same section of run down books, in the vast sea of the same. _

_"__You got Caesar too?" He asks._

_"__As in Julius or the salad," I joke. He laughs, it's nice. He nods at the book in my hand. _

_"__Ah, Julius. Yep. Not my favorite of Shakespeare, but it'll do." I say. It's an odd topic, but it works for us. _

_"__I prefer Hamlet, myself." He says. _

_"__I guess the curriculum doesn't change much from schools." I say, trying to make conversation, to keep him talking to me. He nods again, tugging on the tie of his uniform, a hint of a blush appears on his cheeks. _

_"__You know much about the book?" He asks. _

_"__A little, you?" _

_"__Almost nothing. Want to work on it together?" he asks. A smile appears on his lips. _

_I smile back. "Sure. _

_"__Edward Masen." He introduces himself. _

_"__Bella Swan." I reply_


	6. Chapter 6

**_"_****_I've known it from the moment that we met. No doubt in my mind where you belong" – Make You Feel My Love by Adele (Album: 19)_**

_We worked on our Julius Caesar projects together every day after school before I had to go to dance. Even with going to different schools, we both had an essay to write. He also had a presentation to do. I guess that's the difference with going to private school. _

_I let him run his presentation again and again, giving notes and laughing as he stuttered. A public speaker he was not. _

_For the three weeks this went on we got to know each other. Edward was sweet, funny, and kind._

_I felt like he understood me. _

_"__Quite laughing." He says, running his hand through his hair. We're in the corner of the library at what has become our usual spot and he's been practicing his speech for twenty minutes, unsuccessfully. _

_"__I can't help it. You're cute when you stutter." I say. He gives me a look; it makes me want to kiss him. _

_"__I hate presentations." He mumbles, flopping down in the chair next to me. _

_"__Just pretend like you're having a conversation. Like your talking to someone that makes you comfortable." I tell him. Edward sits up straighter. _

_"__Like you?" He says. _

_"__Yeah. If that's what will help." I tell him. He scoots his chair closer and grabs my hand. It looks delicate laced with his. _

_"__Try again." I say. _

_This time he nails his speech, speaking clearly and never stuttering once as he looks me in the eye and talks straight into my soul. _

_"__Your best take yet." I joke. _

_He laughs through his nose, before leaning in and kissing me. _

_I kiss him back._


	7. Chapter 7

**_"_****_You have given me something I can't live without," – Love in the Dark by Adele (Album: 25)_**

_"__Where do you go after this?" He asks me. _

_I'm focused on his hands twirling a stand of my long brown hair around and around again. It's hypnotizing. I look away from my homework and up at him. _

_We continue to meet at the library every day after school to do homework. A few weeks ago he asked me to be his girlfriend, I said yes. He took me on a date last Saturday. It's been nice. This honeymoon stage. _

_"__What?" I ask. _

_"__At four-fifteen every day, you dart out of here, and go where? Home? Work?" Edward asks curious. _

_I look at him, his eyes are so sincere. I've had boyfriends in the past, but they've never worked out. My dancing somehow always got in the way. _

_My commitment to dance was always higher up than my commitment to the boyfriend of the time, and none of them understood that.__I didn't want Edward to have the same fate as the rest. Bitter that he isn't my whole life. I hadn't told him about dancing yet. But I wanted a relationship built on honesty, if it doesn't work out at least I tried. _

_"__You want to see?" I ask. _

_"__Yes." He doesn't hesitate. _

_At four-fifteen that day, we walk hand in hand out of the library and a few blocks down the street to Ms. Gia's dance studio. I leave Edward in the viewing area while I change. _

_"__Just watch." I tell him, coming back out in my leotard and skirt, my hair now in a bun, not loose around my shoulders._

_I glance at him from the studio, he looks interested, sitting on the edge of his chair, his chin propped on his elbows, resting on his knees. I look away. _

_Focusing solely on my movements, I dance. _

_When practice is over, I walk straight over to him. Edward looks mesmerized. _

_"__You're amazing." He tells me, pulling me tight to him, he kisses me deep. _

_"__Thank you." I say. For the kiss and the compliment. _

_"__Never stop doing that. You were born to move that way." He says. I smile wide. _

_No boyfriend has ever said anything like that to me. I'm flying. I kiss him quick. _

_"__I'm committed to my dancing, can you understand that? That this will always be my first priority." I have to ask. Better to know now, but after what he just told me I'm hopeful. _

_"__After seeing that? Yes. And I wouldn't have it any other way." He says. _

_I smile wide, close my eyes, and lean into him. _

_He's amazing._


	8. Chapter 8

**_"_****_When was the last time you thought of me. Or have you completely erased me from your memories," – Don't You Remember by Adele (Album: 21) _**

He looks taller, more muscular, with five o'clock shadow framing his sculpture face. I've never seen him with facial hair. His eyes are still brilliant green, his hair still bed-head perfect. His voice deeper some, more manly and aged as he tells his daughter how well she danced as she rests on his hip, small arms wrapped around his neck. He looks happy.

I'm frozen in a mass of young girls, twirling and laughing, like my past didn't just walk through the studio doors.

"Daddy, come meet Ms. Bella." Maggie hops off her father and pulls him over to me.

He looks up at me for the first time. It happens in a split second- he eyes meet mine and recognition hits.

I wonder what he sees. What he thinks when he looks at me- older, more pronounced curves, shoulder length hair- I wonder if I look happy, like he does.

Maggie pulls him over, the other little girls parting like the red sea. I try to smile and I hope it comes off as polite and cordial and not as shocked as I feel. He smiles at me, wide and happy.

"Bella."

"Edward."


	9. Chapter 9

**_"_****_Lose myself in time. Just thinking of your face," – One and Only by Adele (Album: 21) _**

"Ms. Bella, this is my Daddy. Daddy, this is Ms. Bella one of my dance teachers. She owns the whole school too." Maggie introduces, her arms waving around in excitement as she speaks. Edward watches his daughter as she talks then looks back at me.

"You own the school?" He ask, amazed.

"Yeah. Myself and-."

"Ms. Bella and Ms. Rosalie own the school." Maggie cuts me off, explaining things for her father.

"Mags, it's not nice to interrupt." He chides her gently. She nods her head in understanding before quickly apologizing to me, I reassure her before she runs off with the other girls who have migrated toward the drinking fountain.

"So, wow." I say, shifting awkwardly where I stand.

It's been ten years, what do you say to someone you once loved after so long?

"I can't believe you're my daughter's dance teacher." He laughs gently.

"Me either," I admit.

"She's been raving about you for months. I never even thought." He says, running a hand through his hair.

"She's very good. One of my best." I tell him.

We're on safe ground here, talking about Maggie and her dancing. Like any other parent and teacher.

"You must say that to all the parents." Edward jokes.

"No." I shake my head. "Only when I mean it."

Edward laughs again and shakes his head. "I'm still amazed. I can't believe it's you." He pauses and looks up at me, right in my eyes. "You look good."

I can feel my face flush from his compliment. "So do you."

Before anything else can be said I'm interrupted by another parent and he proceeds to be pulled away by Maggie.

The whole conversation is like a dream, gone before you know it.

And I wonder if it will happen again.


	10. Chapter 10

**_Take me by the hand, while we do what lovers do," – All I Ask by Adele (Album: 25)_**

_"__Have I ever told you I love your bed?" I ask him._

_Edward laughs, amused. The vibration of his laugh ran through me from his weight above me. He kisses my neck slow. _

_"__No, you have not." He tells me, his lips never leaving my skin. _

_"__Then I would like to take the time now, to profess my love for it." I say, rubbing my hands up and down his naked back, the muscles flexing against my hands. _

_"__I love that you love my bed." He says, his lips move up my neck, over my cheek, and to my lips. _

_"__I love that you love that." I say, my lips brushing over his with every word. _

_We've been dating for just over five months now. His parents were out for dinner, which gives us privacy at his house. With each of our busy schedules and having our parent's around it has been difficult. _

_He kisses me deep, his hand rubbing up my side, sliding under my shirt to feel my bare waist. He slides his hand down, over my hip down my leg to grasp my knee and hitch it over his leg. I gasp at the feeling of him, right where he should be._

_Swirling my tongue with his, I arch into him. Edward rocks back into me sending waves of pleasure through me, his lips leave mine and he starts kissing down my neck._

_As we rock together, his hands tug and pull at my shirt, I sit up long enough to pull it off, my bra goes too before I'm on my back again. Edward thrusts into me again- the hardness of him strong through his jeans and mine._

_His lips go from my neck down my chest to wrap around my nipple, the pleasure doubling as he thrusts hard against me. My hips meet him with every move, his lips pop off me to be replaced by his hand, squeezing and playing. Just right. _

_I'm filled with emotions. It's too much._

_Edward thrusts once more and I'm done. _

_Shattered._


	11. Chapter 11

**_"_****_You and me together. Nothing gets better,"– Set Fire to the Rain by Adele (Album: 21) _**

_"__Dance with me." He says. Standing by his stereo clad only in shorts, he turns on a slow song, a recent favorite of mine that he knows I love. _

_He gestures at me with his finger. I roll my eyes._

_Sliding off his bed I pull on my underwear followed by his t-shirt, it falls above my knees. I walk toward him slow, making him wait for it. _

_Our post-sex cuddling was interrupted when he jumped up with this idea in his head. He's silly like that. When I'm close enough, he wraps me in his arms and pulls me to him tight. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I smile wide at him. Edward sways us slow, back and forth._

_"__Edward, what are we doing?" I ask. _

_"__I'm showing you, I can dance." He says. _

_"__Why?" I wonder. _

_"__So that maybe you'll go to prom with me." He says. I stop swaying. _

_"__You want to go to prom with me?" I ask. _

_The thought had never even crossed my mind, I'd seen the posters, heard the announcements at school for weeks. I hadn't even thought to ask Edward. It didn't even cross my mind that he would want to go. _

_"__Bella, I would love it if you would go to prom with me. Say yes." He says. His eyes gentle and kind. He smiles at me with love. _

_"__Yes."_


	12. Chapter 12

**_"_****_Why don't we just play pretend. Like we're not scared of what's coming next," – All I Ask by Adele (Album: 25)_**

_Sitting in the library after school, he drops the bomb. _

_"__You want me to meet your parent's?" I ask. _

_"__It's only fair. I did meet your mom." He tells me, knocking his knee against mine. I shake my head at him. _

_The introductions between my mother and Edward lasted all of one minute when he came to pick me up for our last date. A hello and goodbye between the two of them barley meant that I now needed to have a full dinner with his parents. _

_That is not what I would call fair. _

_"__You barley met my mom." I remind him. _

_"__But I would have dinner with her if you asked me." He points out. _

_"__You say that because you don't know her." I roll my eyes. Twirling my pen between my fingers, I stare down at my paper. _

_"__You're nervous." He says. _

_"__No." I deny, peaking at him from the side. _

_"__You are!" He points his finger at me. I swat his finger away, but he's faster and grabs my hand with his. He leans closer to me. _

_"__How is it that you can get up and dance in front of hundreds of people, yet you're nervous about meeting my parents?" He asks. _

_"__Because, those hundreds of people are just faces in the crowd. Your parent's aren't just people and faces. I need them to like me." I confess to him. _

_I hate how insecure I sound, but knowing Edward, he wouldn't have let it go until I gave in anyways. _

_"__It's just my parent's. They're easy going. And they'll love you." Edward says. _

_"__Just you're parents," I mumble under my breath. Edward laughs. _

_"__It's not the rest of the clan. No siblings to win over." Edward's sister Alice, was away doing her junior year of college in California and only came home during the holidays. _

_Edward continues with a laugh, "It's just you, me, and two other people who just happened to have given me life."_

_I smile at him. _

_"__Okay." I give in, "Tell me when and where." _


	13. Chapter 13

**_"_****_If this ain't love, then what is?"– He Won't Go by Adele (Album: 21) _**

_"__You play with my hair a lot." I observe. _

_Sitting on the couch in his living room, watching a movie, his arms wrapped around me, his hand playing with the hair falling over my shoulder. _

_"__Does it bother you?" He asks, turning his attention off the movie and toward me. _

_"__No, I actually kind of love it." I smile over at him, he smiles back. _

_Before I could see it coming, he has me on my back, both hands in my hair, fluffing, twisting, and messing. I laugh and try to push him away. He's too strong and doesn't budge. _

_"__Still love it?" He laughs. _

_"__Uncle! Uncle!" I yell. Edward stops and relaxes back next to me on the couch; my hands go up to my head, patting it down the best I can. Hoping it doesn't look like a rat's nest I leave it be. _

_"__You ruined my hair." I pout at him, turning to face him on the couch. _

_"__Never." He smiles slyly, lightly kissing my pouting lips. _

_"__I don't believe you." I draw out. Teasing. _

_"__Then let me tell you something you can believe." Edward pauses. _

_I wait. _

_"__I love you." He tells me. I gasp in surprise. _

_I had been hoping he felt that way. I knew I'd felt that way for him for a while now. Too nervous to admit it. Scared he wouldn't feel the same way or feel too overwhelmed. I'm glad it's neither of the two. _

_I lean forward and kiss him hard. _

_He's the best._

_When I pull back I tell him,__"__I love you too." _

_The smile he gives me says it all. _

_He couldn't be any better._


	14. Chapter 14

**_"_****_Deep down I must have known. That this would be inevitable," – Million Years Ago by Adele (Album: 25)_**

_"__I can't go to prom with you." I tell him. It's been weeks since he asked me and I had said yes at the time. But plans changed. _

_"__What?" _

_"__The performance got moved up. Opening nights the same as prom." I tell him. _

_For months my ballet lessons have consisted of rehearsal for our performance of Swan Lake, I had one of the lead roles and it was a great opportunity for me to show my skills and performance abilities. _

_It was important. _

_Edward doesn't say anything, he sighs and runs his hand through his hair and over his face. _

_"__What are you thinking?" I ask. I hate having to cancel on him, I've done it too often in the last couple weeks. _

_I've had to cancel both our dates the last two weekends due to extra dance practice, and cut short our time in the library since our rehearsal time got moved up. With all my other private dance lessons and school work, my plate was too full. And I hadn't had time for Edward in weeks. _

_"__Dance wins again." Edward laughs humorlessly. I frown at him, biting my lower lip. _

_This is when things always get complicated with my relationships. The scheduling between a boyfriend and dance is never seamless. It's a jumble and tangle of days and nights mixed with cancellations and dancing. _

_Previous boyfriends haven't lasted this long. They can't hack the fact that they're not always my main focus. I pray Edward doesn't end up like that. I love him and don't want to lose him. _

_"__That's not fair." I say. _

_"__Neither is you canceling on me, a week before prom." Edward says. _

_"__You know how important this is to me." I remind him. _

_"__I know dance is important to you. That's why I practically haven't seen you in two weeks." He says. I sigh and shake my head. I hate this part. _

_"__You know I wanted to go to prom with you." I tell him. _

_"__I know that too. But I don't think you really get how important prom is to me." He stresses. _

_I don't know what to say. He probably thinks I'm being selfish. But I have to dance opening night. It's a big deal for me. It could mean bright things for my future. _

_We stay silent for a minute. With a sigh Edward pushes back in his chair, packs his backpack, and leaves me alone in the library. _

_Without another word._


	15. Chapter 15

**_"_****_Let this be our lesson, in love," – All I Ask by Adele (Album: 25) _**

_I knock on the door to his house. His car's parked outside, he should be here. _

_"__Shouldn't you be in dance right now?" Edward asks, his face shows he surprised to see me._

_"__They kicked me out." I admit. Edward smiles lightly, walking out to the front porch to join me. We walk over and lean against the railing, looking out over the lawn. _

_"__Did you try and sabotage another student trying to get your role?" He asks. I laugh. _

_"__No." _

_"__Mouth off to the teacher?" He tries again. _

_"__Never." I shake my head. _

_"__Oh, right." Edward nods, "That's my other girlfriend I'm thinking about." I knock his shoulder with mine, knowing he's joking. _

_"__So, what horrible dance crime did you commit?" he asks. _

_"__The parts I've had perfect for weeks? I got them all wrong today. Couldn't do a one right." _

_"__So, they kick you out cause you have a bad day?" He's confused. _

_"__They kicked me out because my head wasn't in it today, and I was just wasting everyone's time. Ms. Gia thinks I'm burnt out." I tell him. _

_"__Are you?" He asks. _

_"__No, I was just distracted today." _

_"__By what?" he turns to me and asks. _

_"__You. I didn't like the way things ended yesterday. I don't want you to think that my dancing is always going to be more important than you." I tell him, facing him and stepping closer, "I know it seems that way right now and I'm sorry. But you are important to me too. I love you so much." _

_Edward wraps his arms around me and pulls me to him. _

_"__I love you too," He starts. "Bella, I know how important dance is to you and I know how important I am to you, because it's the same way I feel about you. I'm going to get frustrated sometimes, but that's okay. That's a relationship." _

_I kiss him hard, loving that he's not running from this. _

_"__Tell me something." I say when I pull back. _

_"__Anything." He says, I smile. _

_"__Why is prom so important to you?" I ask, I hadn't realized it was as big a deal to him as it is. _

_"__It a big deal because it's signaling the end of high school. The last chance you and me have to do something like this, to get dressed up and go to a stupid high school dance. I wanted to do that with you." He tells me. _

_"__I'm sorry." I say, understanding where he's coming from. _

_But I can't change anything, I still can't go. And I hate that I can't. If I could change the date of opening night, I would. It would make things simpler. I tell him that too. Edward laughs and just kisses me quiet. _

_"__We can't change things now. Let's not dwell on it." He whispers against my lips._


	16. Chapter 16

**_"_****_It matters how this end. 'Cause what if I never love again?" – All I Ask by Adele (Album: 25)_**

_"__Take a walk with me." He says._

_Due to an early dance rehearsal today, Edward and I had time for a late date this Saturday. Having gotten burgers and shared a banana split from the dinner around the street, he leads me on a walk toward a little park. It's a nice day out and with the sun setting just so it was also romantic. _

_"__So, I got some news today." I tell Edward, his hand clasped with mine as we walk along. _

_"__Good or bad?" He asks first, preparing himself. _

_"__Good, better than good." I tell him. _

_"__Tell me," He says softly. _

_"__Ms. Gia told me that's some scouts from Julliard are coming to the performance next week." I tell him. The nerves already settling into my stomach. _

_"__Bella, that's amazing!" He's excited. _

_Dropping my hand he grabs me at the waist and twirls us around in excitement. When he sets me down, we sit on the swings at the empty park._

_"__Are you nervous?" he asked. _

_"__Yeah." I nod. "I don't want to mess up this opportunity." _

_"__Did you apply to Julliard?" He asks. _

_Having been dating this long, it's actually a surprise to realize we haven't really talked about college, where we've applied, where we want to go, what we want to do with our lives. It never came up, it probably should have. _

_"__Ms. Gia applied for me actually. She referred me for their scholarship." I tell him. _

_"__That's in New York, huh? Julliard?" He asks. _

_"__Yep. Across the country." I mumble. We're quiet for a minute. _

_"__That's what you want to do with your life isn't it? Be a dancer?" He asks to confirm. _

_"__What gave it away?" I laugh, before becoming serious. "I want to do ballet. I want to go to college and learn and then join a prestigious company where I can work and perform every day." _

_"__I can see that." He says, smiling bright at me. _

_"__Yeah?" I ask. I knew I could imagine that life for me, but it was nice to know somebody else close to me could as well. _

_"__Yeah. I can see you out in New York, dancing on Broadway or wherever. It's perfect for you." He tells me. _

_"__Thank you." I say. I reach my hand out between us and he grabs it, interlocking our fingers. In time with each other we swing lightly back and forth, our feet staying on the ground, pushing. _

_"__What about you? What do you want to do with your life?" I ask him. _

_"__I'm not entirely sure. I've always liked writing, I've been thinking of maybe being a journalist. Dad wants me to continue the family business and be a lawyer like him." Edward shrugs. _

_His dad, Carlisle, may be the nicest lawyer I've ever met, not that I've met many in my life. He owns a small law firm here in Seattle. Edward's sister, Alice, is already following in the family business and has a spot reserved at her father's firm once she graduates and passes the Bar. _

_"__Do you like law?" I ask him._

_"__I guess?" _

_"__Do you like to write?" _

_"__Yes." _

_"__Would you be happy being a lawyer?" I continue my list of questions. _

_"__Probably." _

_"__Would you be happy being a writer? Or journalist?" _

_"__Yeah." _

_"__Do what makes you happy Edward. If you're going to be happier as a write. Then write. Don't waste your time being a lawyer to make your dad happy. Knowing him, if you're happy, he'll be happy." I tell him. _

_It's simple really. Do what you love. Don't spend your time being and doing what others think you should. You'll hate yourself for it later. _

_"__You're pretty perfect you know that?" He asks me. _

_"__I try." I joke. _

_"__Whatever makes me happy. That easy." He laughs with a shake of his head. He tugs my hand and I stand and walk to him. He wraps his arms around my hips and looks up at me. _

_"__You make me happy." He tells me. _

_"__You make me happy, too." I say._


	17. Chapter 17

**_"_****_Why have we been through, what we have been through?" – Water Under the Bridge by Adele (Album: 25) _**

I was babysitting today. With the studio closed it allowed me the perfect opportunity to have some bonding time with Rosalie's two-year old daughter Vera, giving her and her husband Emmett a chance for a day alone together.

Grabbing her little plastic bucket, Vera plopped herself down in the sandbox at the park- tuckered out from the swings and slide. Unable to join her in the sand, I sat near her, on the wooden edge.

"Well, look who's here." I hear him say before I see him. Turning my head I see Edward making his way to the sandbox with Maggie beside him, holding his hand.

"Hi, Ms. Bella!" Maggie says, waving fast before releasing her father and jumping right into the sandbox to join Vera. Maggie goes right over and introduces herself, in less than a minute the two are fast friends and building an empire together. The age difference nothing to them.

Edward sits down beside me and smiles gently, his five o'clock shadow from yesterday now turning into a full on beard and a gray beanie covers his mop of hair. The looks new for me, but I kind of love it.

"You're daughter?" He asks, nodding towards the children.

"Vera? No, my niece." I tell him.

"Niece? You don't have any sibling. Unless there's a long lost one I don't know about." He jokes, confused. I laugh.

It's odd- having to remember this man was once the boy I loved, who knew everything about me, because at times he seems like a completely different person. Maybe in a good way though.

"My best friend Rosalie, who co-owns the dance studio, Vera's hers. She's practically my sister." I tell him. He nods in understanding.

"It's really good to see you." He admits, scooting closer. The courtesy distance he'd been leaving between us, like two strangers would, now gone.

"It's good to see you too, Edward, completely shocking and surprising but good." I tell him.

"I never thought I'd see you again. I used think about you," He rubs the back of his neck, "I figured if one day fate brought us together I'd see you performing Swan Lake in a professional Company in New York or something like that." He confesses.

"Oh, fate." I shake my head. "Plans just kind of changed." I tell him.

The girls giggle loudly behind us and we turn fully toward them, giving them our undivided attention for a few moments. The empire their building is doubling in size, apparently two empires are converging, since their prince and princess got married. That's how Maggie explains it, little Vera nodding and grinning along, wrecking towers here and there for fun. The protest of the marriage, we are informed.

"You can ask, you know." Edward tells me.

"Ask what?" I say.

"About Maggie. Oddly enough I still know you, and you're curious." Edward smirks. I laugh.

"After ten years this is where you want to start?" I ask him, my eyebrows raised.

"With the obvious elephant in the room?" He says, "Yes."

"I wouldn't call her an elephant." I mumble, looking away. He laughs.

"Believe it or not Edward, I know you too, and unless things changed, I know you didn't want to have kids until you were settled down. But I don't see a ring on that finger." I say.

Edward smiles, and then jokes, "You looked?"

I roll my eyes.

"Since you know me so well." He laughs, "You know Maggie wasn't exactly planned." He keeps his voice low, because of the little ears.

"About a year after I graduate from Berkley, the girlfriend I had at the time got pregnant. It was nothing too sordid. She didn't want to be a mom, so after Maggie was born she signed away her rights."

"That had to be hard for you. Raising a baby by yourself." I say. I remember when Vera was born, both Emmett and Rosalie where exhausted for months and there was two of them.

"It was, but I think I had it easier than some. I worked from home and my parents came down to California and helped for a few months, which was very nice." Edward smiles.

"They're supportive?" I ask.

I've always loved his parent's and I know how much they love and respect their son and his choices, but sometimes situations like an unplanned pregnancy make people act differently.

"They are so supportive, you know them. Or knew them." He changes the tense.

"Maggie's amazing Edward." I tell him. Unaware if I'm over stepping some ex-girlfriend bounds or not.

"Thank you." He says, sincerity ringing clearly in his statement.

"You work from home?" I ask after a moment of silence.

Edward smiles and explains to me that he's an author, best-selling might I add, for a very popular murder romance series. After taking a creative writing class in college, Edward majored in English and right out of college his first book was published.

"What about you?" He asks, "How'd you go from New York back to Seattle with your own dance school?"

I frown at the question, hoping he wouldn't ask, but knowing it would come sooner or later.


	18. Chapter 18

**_"_****_I remember all the things, that I thought I wanted to be," – Remedy by Adele (Album: 25)_**

_It's opening night for my dance performance. There's a ball of nerves tangled around my stomach, not letting go. After tonight, I have one performance a night for the rest of the week. And two on the weekends, Sunday is closing night. _

_The first and last performances are always the hardest. There's pressure of opening and closing. Showing how good the performance is and then trying to leave that lasting reminder in the audiences head._

_I can't stop thinking about how much this means. Scouts from Julliard are out there. Waiting to watch me and see if I am capable of being a student of theirs. Any little error I make tonight could cost me my future. It's too much. _

_Its madness backstage, as everyone runs around getting ready. My hair and make-up is all done, I just need my costume and Pointe shoes on. We're told fifteen minutes to show time. I feel like I'm going to throw up._

_Still in my sweats I grab my phone and make an escape out the back exit. The cool wind slaps my face as I dial his number fast, my fingers fumbling on the small keys. _

_"__Hey baby. Shouldn't you be getting ready right now?" He asks, surprised I'm calling him. I can hear him moving around, finding a quiet place to talk away from the crowded theater. He's here tonight, with my parent's and his. _

_"__I can't do this Edward. I'm so nervous. What if I mess it all up?" I admit, whispering softly into the phone. _

_"__Bella, calm down, baby. Take a deep breathe." He soothes. I do as he says, sucking the cool oxygen into my lungs. _

_"__You know your dance right?" He asks._

_"__Yes." I say. Stupid questions, I know every move forward and backwards. _

_"__Have you been messing up in practice?" _

_"__No." _

_"__Then what's got you so worried?" he asks. _

_"__The scouts are here, Edward. My whole future is riding on this one performance." I say. _

_"__You're wrong." He tells me, his voice strong and adamant. _

_"__I am?" _

_"__This one performance will not make or break your future. If you go into tonight thinking like that, you're going to ruin the performance. It's one performance, and a few people in the audience, just happen to be from a fancy school. Don't think about them. Don't dance for them. Dance for yourself and for all the hard work you've put into this." He tells me. _

_I've calmed down, his words of encouragement, doing more for me that anything else could have at this moment. _

_"__Thank you. I love you." I tell him. _

_"__I love you too. Now go knock 'em dead." He laughs._

_It's a rush when I go back in. Everyone's in full costume, stretching and preparing to go on stage. _

_"__Bella! There you are. We have to get you dressed." One of the mangers says, ushering me back to wardrobe. _

_Before I know it I'm in my costume, stretched and waiting in the wings to go on stage. My nerves are gone and have been replaced with a pure need to go out there and do my best. Not for the people of Julliard. Not for the audience, or Edward or my parents, but for myself. To show myself that all the hours of practices- the hard work and exhaustion- missing time with my boyfriend and family, bailing on prom; that it's all worth it._

_I hear the music start and I'm ready. The lights dim, the curtain goes up, and the show starts._


	19. Chapter 19

**_"_****_You know my heart, more than I do. We were the greatest, me and you,"- I'll be Waiting by Adele (Album: 21) _**

_"__You were amazing!" Edward cheers as he wraps me in his arms. _

_I'm high on adrenaline right now. The show was amazing, and I swear I could hear Edward cheering in the crowd. Still dressed in full costume and make-up, I went into the audience with my sights set solely on Edward. I kiss him hard. _

_"__I can't stop smiling." I tell him. _

_"__You were absolutely amazing, baby. Beautiful." He whispers in my ear, squeezing me hard. _

_"__Don't hog her, honey." My mother says. Coming up over Edwards shoulder she places her hand on his arm, to move him away from me. When I finally let go of Edward, I hug my mother tight. _

_"__You did so well." She tells me. _

_"__Bells, you were pretty spectacular up there." My dad says, coming up beside us. I hug him with appreciation. _

_He's never understood my love for dance, but he'd never deny me of it and he supports me fully. He's been a great father, even if he's no longer there 24/7. His hug is followed by more of the same from Edward's parents, Carlisle and Esme. It was sweet of them to come. As the Theater clears out, we stand there, everyone raving about the performance. _

_When there's a lull in the conversation, Edward tells me, "I have a surprise for you." _

_I'm confused. My mother looks too excited. Coming closer so that he's in front of me, I can see that there's something hidden behind is back, I also finally notice what he's wearing. _

_A tux with a bow-tie, too fancy for a ballet performance, too handsome for me not to take my eyes off him. Edward sees me eyeing him and smirks. His hand comes out behind his back and he holds out a square box to me. _

_"__Open it." He tells me. I do as I'm told. It's a corsage, made of while calla lilies. _

_"__Bella, again, will you go to prom with me?" He asks. I'm in awe. He's wonderful. _

_"__Yes." I say. He takes the corsage out of the box and slips it over my wrist. My mother sequels in excitement. _

_"__Time to change!" She says, grabbing me and leading me backstage. Esme follows behind us. Edward laughs at my expression when I look back at him, but just waves. _


	20. Chapter 20

**_"_****_No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do to make you feel my love," – Make You Feel My Love by Adele (Album: 19) _**

_We got backstage to the dressing rooms, laid out on the counter are beauty and hair products. Over the chair my dress is laid. The dress that I had bought for prom before I had to tell Edward I couldn't go. The one I didn't have the heart to return. _

_"__How did he do this?" I ask. _

_"__Oh, he's been planning this since you canceled. That boy won't take no for an answer." Esme tells me, starting to unpin my hair. _

_"__He came to me about a dress. Edward was surprised you had one already, but it made this so much easier." My mother explained, as she started to clean my face, toning down my stage make-up to make it appropriate for a dance. _

_"__Will we even be there on time?" I ask, glancing at the clock in the room. _

_"__No. But better late than never." Esme says. _

_They work on me for a little bit, re-doing my hair and make-up, before letting me change into my dress. It's gorgeous, full-length, midnight blue with a high neck line, cinched at the waist it showed my curves. It was lovely. I was given black heels to put on along with diamond earring and a simple diamond necklace. _

_Looking in the mirror afterwards I felt pretty. Prettier than when I went on stage today. Walking back to the entrance of the theater to meet Edward, I felt excited. He was too good for me. _

_"__You look gorgeous." He says when he sees me. I smile bright. _

_After a few pictures are taken to commemorate the moment, we're off to the dance. _

_"__Ready for prom?" he asks. _

_"__With you? Absolutely." I say._


	21. Chapter 21

**_"_****_It's no secret. That the both of us are running out of time," – Hello by Adele (Album: 25)_**

_I got my acceptance letter to Julliard today. They're offering me a full dance scholarship._

_I'm beyond relieved. I'm overjoyed. I screamed and jumped and danced around my room for a full ten minutes. I called Ms. Gia and thanked her over and over again for applying for me and all her recommendations._

_I'm thrilled, but there's also another side to this. I'm nervous. I'm scared. New York is so far away, it's a whole different world on the east coast. And it's without the one person I truly love. _

_When Edward took me to prom it was like a dream come true, all that I had imagined didn't come close to doing it justice. The upscale hotel entrance was lined with limousines, inside the ballroom was filled with all his classmates, dressed in tuxedos and ball gowns. I would expect nothing less from the private school Edward goes to._

_We stayed until everyone had cleared out; gently swaying in each other's arms to whatever song would come on. Lost in one another. _

_Then, like all prom clichés we rented a hotel room and used it for what prom night was really invented for. That night was magical, and nothing compared. Things between the two of us had been doing so well, and I just knew, once I told Edward about my acceptance letter it would change everything._

_That there would be a dark cloud looming over us once those word were spoken. The knowledge of our separation in our minds at all times, eating at our brains and our time together. I know Edward had applied all over the country, but his number one school is in California. _

_It's sad, that our dreams are so far apart. And neither of us will sacrifice for the another. _


	22. Chapter 22

**_"_****_We had time against us. And miles between us," – I'll be Waiting by Adele (Album: 21) _**

_We're in his bedroom, relaxing in his bed, wrapped in each other. I stare at him. The deep, brilliant green of his eyes, the way they shine when he's happy and content. The mess of his bronze hair. The slow curve of his smile as he looks at me like nobody else. He's gorgeous- I've know this since I met him. _

_But now, every time I look at him all I can think about is what I'm not telling him. The one thing that I'm keeping from him. I can't. It's going to ruin the moment. _

_"__I got into Julliard." I blurt out. His eyes go wide, surprised. _

_"__They're giving me a dance scholarship." I continue. He smiles wide at me. _

_"__I knew you could do it." He says, before kissing me quick. _

_"__You have more faith in me than anybody." I tell him. _

_"__You don't see yourself clearly." He says. "You're amazing." I duck my head into his bare chest and smile. We're silent for a minute. _

_"__You're going, right?" He asks. I thought that was clear before, but I guess he doesn't want to assume. _

_"__Of course." I say, looking back at him. _

_"__You'll do amazing things there." He promises, tracing gentle circles on my back with his thumb. _

_"__I got into NYU." He tells me. This time I'm shocked. I didn't know he had applied to schools in New York. _

_"__You did?" I ask. _

_"__I also got into UC Berkley," He tells me. I nod. That's his first choice. _

_"__You're going to Berkley aren't you?" I smile at him sadly. _

_"__I can go to NYU." He says. I shake my head. _

_We both know he doesn't really mean that. And I can't do that to him. And he can't do that to himself. _

_"__Berkley is your dream. You've never asked me to give up my dream. I'm not about to ask you to give up yours." I tell him. He sighs deeply. He knows the situation we're in. Now, we just have to deal with it. _

_"__I love you, you know that right?" He asks me. _

_"__I know. I love you too." I tell him. _

_He kisses me deep, to make sure I feel it in my bones_


	23. Chapter 23

**_"_****_Hold me closer. One more time," – I'll be Waiting by Adele (Album: 21) _**

_The summer goes on, and much like I predicted, our mutual separation hangs in the air between us._

_High school graduation comes and goes. I continue dance classes, adding in extra lessons and training sessions to get ready for Julliard, Edward attends once in a while, just to watch. He tells me he's never seen anybody move the way I do. He loves it. And I love him being my audience. _

_We each start to pack for college. Each time I go into his room more and more things are in boxes and bags, ready to move to California with him. I'm sure he could say the same about me. _

_We spend time with our families. He goes away for a week to his parent's lake house to spend time with them and his sister. I go and visit my dad in Forks for a few weeks. We talk on the phone while the other is gone. It's new, different. And something we're going to have to get used to. This is what's next for us._

_In between all this, we spend time together. Date nights, relaxing days at his house or at the park, anything we can, we do together. We both know our time together is limited. We're under no delusions here. We're just trying to prepare ourselves. _

_We sit at an ice cream shop; The sweet treat, melts deliciously in my mouth. _

_"__It's like you've never had ice cream before." Edward laughs, watching me savor every bite. _

_"__I haven't for a while, and it's just so good." I moan, taking another bite. _

_"__Never, deprive yourself of ice cream." He tells me. _

_"__Never again." I agree. He smiles and I love him. _

_"__You know what I realized?" He asks me._

_"__There are so many things." I laughs, he rolls his eyes at me. _

_"__In all this time, you have never met my sister." He says. I hum around my spoon and think. _

_"__Maybe it's fate. Maybe I'm not meant to meet her yet." I say, shrugging my shoulder. _

_"__Fate, huh?" _

_"__Yep. Just like you and me." I say. _

_"__You and me?" He questions. _

_"__Yeah. Maybe all this." I twirl my spoon in a circle. "It's all fate. It's how everything is supposed to happen." _

_"__That's what you believe?" He asks. _

_"__Yes, what else is there?" I ask him. _

_"__I don't know." He answers. _

_He looks at me, like he's had a revelation. Maybe he has, the concept of fate is not something everyone believes in, but it's something I do, I need to think there's a reason for us. Taking this love and separating it, that can't just be the way life works. There needs to be more to it. Fate, perhaps. At least that's what I wish to believe. _

_"__I like the way you think." Edward tells me. _

_I smile._


	24. Chapter 24

**_"_****_Excuse me first love, but we're through," – First Love by Adele (Album: 19) _**

_Today was the day._

_The day I was leaving for New York. _

_For most in my situation this would be a happy day, filled with joy and hope about a new beginning and the future. But today I was sad. For months now I knew this was coming. I had thought about this, planned it, and decided that I would be happy and ready to take these next steps in my life. _

_But when I woke up this morning all those thoughts and ideas I had for months flew out the window and ran. All I could think about was Edward._

_This was it. After today we were done. Over. This was our end. It's something else, being in a relationship and knowing the exact day it will expire. _

_All I want to do is find Edward, grab him and hold on. I want to take him with me and never let go. But I can't, I know this. We both do. _

_We had talked long and hard about this-us. We knew we'd never last long distance. We were going to separate coasts. It was a mutual decision. The hardest decision I've had to make yet. Edward was taking me to the airport today. Most of my belonging had been shipped ahead of time. _

_My heart was breaking as I saw Edward walk through the apartment door, he gave me a fleeting smile before loading my things into his car. I said good-bye to my mother. I hugged her tight and promised to call once I landed, before getting in the car with Edward. _

_My eyes started to water as we pulled away, I swiped at them before the tears could come out. He grabbed my hand, then, and held tight. _

_"__I know." He said. I nodded, because he did. He knew exactly what I felt right now. And I hated that we felt this way. _

_The car ride was silent, just the two of us wanting to be in each other's company. Knowing that all the words we say would be our last to each other. But not knowing what those words should be. _

_In the parking garage of the airport, we both got out. Knowing this was our time. We grab my bag out of the trunk and then stand there. Waiting to see who breaks first. _

_"__Did you ever decide what you wanted to do?" I spout out. "With your life I mean. Be a lawyer or journalist?" _

_Edward smiles sadly at me. _

_"__That's what you ask me right now." He says. _

_"__When I leave you get to imagine me living my dream dancing at Julliard and all those company's in New York. I want to know what your dream is. What do I get to imagine you doing?" I tell him. He steps closer to me, resting his arms around me and pulling me tight to him. _

_"__I haven't decided yet." He says. I nod. "But if you need to imagine me, just imagine me happy." I smile at him. _

_"__And super rich." He continues, leaning down to kiss my neck. _

_"__And naked." He goes on, whispering against my neck. I laugh this time, wrapping my arms around his neck. _

_"__I love you." He whispers once he kisses his way to my ear. I sigh and fight back tears. _

_"__You will be amazing. I know that. Which is why I know this is the right thing. Don't doubt yourself. You're extraordinary, baby." He leans his forehead against my temple. _

_The tears spill out then, I can't help it. I hold him tight. I don't know how I can let him go. _

_"__I love you." I croak. Pulling away so I can see his face, I place my hands on either side and look him in the eye. _

_"__You are the best person I know. Do what makes you happy, whatever that is." I tell him. _

_We lean our foreheads together and just be. We breathe each other in. Trying to capture each other just once more. When we pull away I can see a few tear tracks mark his face.. This is it. He pulls me in tight and kisses me deep. I can feel it in my soul and it breaks my heart. _

_"__I love you, Bella." He says. _

_"__I love you, Edward." I tell him. And that's it. We both know there's nothing else to say. This is where we have to leave it. _

_I pull away from him and his sad green eyes. With tears running down my face I turn away and walk toward my future._


	25. Chapter 25

**_"_****_There is so much space between us. Maybe were already defeated,"– Love in the Dark by Adele (Album: 25)_**

_New York is different. Good and bad. _

_It's amazing, the sounds, the sights, and the people. There's always something to do, some place to go, somebody to see. It's extraordinary here. It's as if I'm in a whole new world. _

_And that's part of the bad. It's so different from what I'm used to. So many people, the traffic and crowds are insane, the noise never stops. Sometimes I miss the solitude of my little apartment in Seattle with the light traffic and rain that can be heard from my room._

_New York is definitely an adjustment. So is being away from Edward. _

_After settling in and getting adjusted, I've thrown myself into dance like never before. If I'm focused on dancing and the way my body needs to move, then I don't have time to think about Edward and how much I miss him. How much I hurt._

_Before I left we had an agreement. We'd make this a clean break. No contact. That lasted a week before I broke and called him one night. He admitted he was about a day from calling me. As much as you try sometimes, you can't quit certain people. _

_We went through the first weeks of starting college together. We each learned about the classes the other was taking, the new friends that were being made, and the secrets of new cities we lived in. That lasted about two months. Then we both got too busy, phone calls turned into voice messages left and a game of phone tag that was never won. _

_Soon we both stopped trying. But I continued to hurt. _

_Toward the end of the first semester the hurt started to ease as I began to heal. The possibility of someone new helped with that. But soon that ended, all with one phone call: _

_"__Is this Isabella Swan?" _

_"__Yes?"_

_"__I'm calling from Fork's Hospital, regarding your father Charles Swan. He has been injured." _

_That's when the hurt came back, this time for a whole different reason._


	26. Chapter 26

**_"_****_Pleas wear the face, the one where you smile. Because you lighten up my heart. When I start to cry," – First Love by Adele (Album: 19) _**

I sigh

I try to think of where to start. It's not complicated, just different than how I thought my life would be. It's sadder than I hoped.

"You look like I ran over your puppy." Edward jokes.

Behind us two little girls gasp and stare at him with wide eyes. Holding his hands up in innocence he pleads "It's a figure of speech. It's a joke, all the puppies are safe." Maggie believes him sooner than Vera, who gives him some side-eye as she turns back to their empire in the sand. I smile at the interaction. When he turns my way he looks at me closer.

"What happened?" He asks, this time his voice softer, like he knows what he's about to be in for. I blow out a breath and look down at my hands in my lap. I don't want to see the pity in his eyes.

"About half way through freshman year at Julliard, I got a call from Fork's Hospital. My dad was injured in the line of duty. Charlie pulled someone over for speeding and the guy decided to run my dad over. When I got to Fork's he had a shattered femur and dislocated shoulder. He was already out of surgery for his leg and he was okay, for the most part. Charlie protested of course but I took a leave from school to take care of him. He was only in the hospital for about a week, maybe less." I stopped and breathed, this is where it got hard, where things went from bad to worse.

"Charlie had been home for a couple weeks when one day during physical therapy he collapsed. He'd had a massive heart attack. Apparently a blood clot had made its way to his heart." I stopped again. Blinking fast, I fought back tears that threatened to fall.

"Bella, no." Edward pleaded. He knew what was coming.

I nodded my head. "He died."

Edward scooted closer and clasped his large hands over mine, squeezing tight. I took a deep breathe.

"After Charlie died, things were different, just kind of put in perspective. Something inside me changed and I just couldn't go back to New York. Back to Julliard. Much to my mother's disappointment I moved back to Seattle. By then she had already gotten engaged to some minor league baseball player and moved to Florida.

"Using the money Charlie left, I rented a place, got a job as a waitress at a local bar and grille and signed up to attended Seattle University. That's where I met Rosalie and things just kind of went from there. My dreams changed." I finish, hoping he won't look at me differently no

No longer will I be this striving, driven dancer who has it all together, but a damaged girl who lost her dad and ruined her dreams. I can't have him look at me like that. Not him.

"Bella." He says it gently. "You are so brave."

I look up at him now.

"You are such a strong women. Maybe your dream changed, but that happens to everyone. And as long as you're happy, nothing else matters." Edward tells me. I smile at him. I should have known this would be his reaction. Edward always saw the best in me.

"I wish I could have been there for you." Edward says. "Through everything. Sometimes I just …wish"

I nod, understanding. Because sometimes I just wish too.


	27. Chapter 27

**_"_****_Cause I've been by myself all night long. Hoping your someone I used to know," – When We Were Young by Adele (Album: 25) _**

A few weeks later I run into him at the grocery store. Pondering over which cereal choice to get, he slides up next to me, grabbing one of the boxes out of my hand and putting it in my cart, making the decision for me. I raise my eyebrows at him.

"You've been avoiding me." Edward says.

"No, I haven't." I deny, avoiding eye contact now, but not before noticing he shaved his beard.

After our talk at the park, I've been thinking. Too much. My minds been running wild. With everything's that's been said, and with seeing him again after all this time. I feel like I did when I first met him all those years ago.

That attraction is still there. I still know him, pieces of him anyway. I keep thinking about what it would have been like, to have him there for all those years. But then there would be no Maggie.

And attraction aside, I'm not sure what I want. I may have known him then, but I don't know him now. Not really. And I think about what's going to happen next. Are we friends? Acquaintances? Am I now just his daughter's dance teacher?

So with all my thinking I've been doing some avoiding. Leaving dance classes as soon as they end, not to be bombarded by parents. Edward in particular. I haven't returned any of the calls he's left for me at the studio. Even steering clear of the park near my house on my morning runs, in case he and Maggie happen to be there.

"Okay, sure. If that's how you're going to play it." Edward says. He takes the lone box of cereal from my hand and puts it back on the shelf.

"I'll be around when you're done with this whole avoiding thing." He says, grabbing his own cereal and pushing his cart down the aisle.

"I'm not avoiding you!" I call after him, in a last ditch effort.

"Please." He shakes his head. "Even Maggie's noticed."


	28. Chapter 28

**_"_****_You're the only one I want. I don't know why I'm scared. I've been here before,"– One and Only by Adele (Album: 21) _**

We're sitting in our office, Rosalie at her desk, working on the month's schedule, while I was work on the books, checking finances. Or at least trying to. With the looks she's been throwing my way since she sat down, a slight glare mixed with bewilderment. It was distracting.

Throwing my pen down on my desk, I sit back in my chair, I couldn't take it anymore.

"What?" I ask. Rose looks up from her papers.

"What?" Rose asks back, her face a mask of innocence.

"No, bullshit Rose. I've seen the looks. Say what you need to say." I tell her.

I've always preferred when Rose was blunt and straightforward. It made things easier for us, both in business and friendship. It always made me nervous when she didn't want to tell me something.

"Why won't you give Edward a chance?" She asks me.

"What?" I'm confused.

"You've told me the stories, Bell. He was the great love of your life. And now he's back and you're giving him the cold shoulder. You always say you want a love like you and he had when you were younger. Now he's here and kind of suggesting the same. Why are you passing it up?" She says.

"How do you even know he wants the same?" I ask.

"He and Em are friends." She shrugs.

"Since when?" I ask. Rosalie rolls her eyes at me.

"Since around the time he moved back to town. They met at the bar and get together for basketball. Why so curious Bell?" She says.

Now I roll my eyes.

"He could be answering all these questions himself. But you're ignoring him." She states again, giving me a pointed look. I sigh.

I may be ignoring Edward a bit, but I didn't think that I was passing up on him. I know he admitted that he thought of me through the years, and I can't say I never thought of him too. But what we had back then was special, would it even be the same with Edward now?

Things have changed so much throughout the years, we may be the same people but we're also completely different. With different dreams that may not line up again. To get that great love back, I don't know if it would even be possible.

"Honestly? I don't know if I can feel the same way for him that I once did." I tell her.

"Is it Maggie?" Rose questions.

"What? No!"

"I don't think so, but I had to ask." She says.

"We've changed so much. We may not be enough this time." I say.

"But what if you are? What if you two can get that love back? And you never tried? You have to try, Bella." Rose tells me.

The 'what if' game was a dangerous road to walk. You played it when making difficult decision or when you've regretted the difficult decision you've made. In the end it just leaves you with a heavy heart and your head spinning.

"But I don't know him anymore. Not really." I tell her.

"Then get to know him." Rosalie says. As simple as that.


	29. Chapter 29

**_"_****_She is a stranger," – Rumor Has It by Adele (Album: 21)_**

_I met Rosalie while attending Seattle University. _

_We were both in their Art's program, minoring in dance. Her major-child development, mine-business. A few months into the semester Rosalie and I were paired for a project. Get to know your partner, who they are deep down and then in a solo performance, show the class who they are. _

_It was our teacher's attempt at getting the class to know one another, spend time on something other than our "craft". She felt that as artists we kept our selves isolated, and that as a class we were not a cohesive whole. Her words, not mine. I always felt she had interesting theories on dancers. Not always accurate. _

_I'd seen Rosalie in class, it was hard to miss her. She was the epitome of what a ballet dancer should look like. Tall, lean, long blond hair, a real all American beauty._

_Rosalie and I began our project by sitting down in the library, each of us with a notebook in hand ready to interview the other. It was around the time we were introducing ourselves, the conversation stilted and awkward that we realized we we're taking this too serious. _

_Ditching the library we walked to the coffee shop near campus, the one which had the almond pastries we shared a love of. Our notebooks were stuffed into our bags and we just talked, like friends._

_Rose told me of disastrous date stories. I told her of my misadventures in New York. And somehow from there our friendship began. _


	30. Chapter 30

**_"_****_Baby, is that really what you want," – Rumor Has It by Adele (Album: 21)_**

_I meet her at a coffee shop. _

_I want to have this conversation on neutral ground, so she doesn't think I'm cornering her. She's my best friend, I wouldn't want business to ruin that. _

_"__Open a studio with me." _

_Rosalie looks surprised. "What?" _

_"__Open a dance studio with me."_

_"__B, is that what you really want to do? You have so much talent and all you want to do is teach?" _

_"__You've always wanted to teach dance and you're talented." I say. _

_"__But not like you. You could be in a company somewhere doing amazing things." She tells me. _

_"__Are you saying you don't want to open a studio with me?" I ask. _

_"__I'm all in if you are. But I need to make sure you are _all in_." Rose stresses. _

_"__I am. There was a time in my life where I could have done the company thing, but not anymore. That's over. This is my dream now." I tell her. _

_She looks at me as she takes a sip of tea. _

_"__Let's do this." She says. Setting the tea down, she holds her hand out. _

_"__Partners." We shake on it. _

_"__Partners." She mimics._


	31. Chapter 31

**_"_****_I need to taste the kiss from someone new." – First Love by Adele (Album: 19) _**

_I walk into the closed studio and straight to the office. Knowing Rose was staying late, I barge into the office, expecting Rosalie to ask me what the hell my problem is. But I get a different reaction. _

_Leaning back in her chair, a heavily pregnant Rosalie holds her arms over her eyes and a hand on her stomach, massaging. The only reaction I receive is her arm moving enough for her to raise an eyebrow at me in question._

_"__Sam broke up with me." I state. Her arm falls completely as she sits up. _

_"__Oh god. Are you okay?" She asks, making to get up. I move closer to help her stand. _

_"__Maybe, not really." I tell her. _

_"__You need a drink." She says, "And a venting session." _

_Grabbing her purse she pushes me out of the studio, locking it behind her. Linking her arm with mine we walk the short distance to Emmett's bar. He's behind the bar tonight, making drinks. We push our way through the small crowd and sit on the bar stools. _

_"__Ladies." Emmett drawls, winking at me before leaning over to bar to kiss Rose. _

_"__What can I get you?" He asks me directly. _

_"__Something that says I just got my heart broken and I'm hating men." I respond. Rose laughs. _

_"__Can do. And thanks for the heads up." He laughs. _

_"__So what Bell? He just up and broke up with you? I thought you guys were just talking about moving in together." She asks._

_"__We were." I sigh, taking the drink Emmett offered eagerly while Rosalie gives him a sour look for the ginger ale he sat in front of her. _

_"__Baby." He said, pointing down. _

_"__Like I need to be reminded." She rolls her eyes. _

_"__He proposed." I tell them. I get identical shocked looks. _

_"__Sam proposed?" Emmett asks. _

_"__Yep." I say. _

_"__So, why aren't we celebrating an engagement instead of nursing a broken heart?" He asks. _

_This time I give him a dirty look. Rosalie just shakes her head at him, but looks at me expectantly. _

_"__I told him I wanted to think about it. And that wasn't good enough for him. It was all or nothing, right then and there. So I took nothing." I tell them. _

_"__I freaking hate ultimatums." Rosalie says, "What an ass."_

_"__Not cool." Emmett says, before turning his attention to Rose. "Babe, why don't you guys go sit in the office. That chair can't be comfortable."_

_"__I'm fine," She tells him _

_"__By the way your consistently rubbing your back you're not." Em tells her. _

_Emmett leans over the bar, getting in her face. "Go in my office, sit on the couch and relax." He tells her. _

_"__Fine." She gives up, "You just don't want a reputation for having pregnant women in your bar." _

_"__I love you too." He calls out as we disappear down the hall and into the office. _

_"__Why didn't you say yes?" Rose asks, as we relax on the couch. "You've been with him a year. It would make sense." _

_"__You know that feeling you get with Emmett?" I ask her, taking another swig from the bottle of tequila Emmett set me up with. Rosalie nods. _

_"__I didn't get that with Sam." I tell her. "I kept hoping I would, I mean I loved him yeah. But I wasn't in love with him enough to even think about marrying him. The decision was easy." _

_The more I drink the more I ramble to her, "I want a love like you and Emmett." _

_They met a few months after we opened the dance studio. Emmett owned the bar the street over, a quick walk after a long day. We became regulars and Rose and Emmett started flirting. Flirting soon became dating. A year later they were married. It was romantic and perfect. _

_"__I had that once, when I was younger." I say._

_"__With Edward?" Rose asks._

_"__Yeah." I whine in agreement. Rose knows, she's my best friend, of course she knows. _

_"__I want that again. That all-consuming love, where you know it's this one person you just have to be with. I need that. I don't want to settle the Sam's of the world." I tell her, aggressively._

_"__Bella, I know you're drunk and may not remember a lick of this tomorrow." Rosalie starts, grabbing my face and pulling it near hers, so she knows I'm paying attention, wrinkling her nose as the smell of alcohol hits her face. "But you are an amazing women and you should never settle for a man who you don't love enough." She pauses to let it settle in. I wonder why I never told her how pretty her eyes are. _

_"__Do you understand me?" She says. I nod. _

_"__Say it." Rose demands. I roll my eyes. _

_"__I understand." I mumble. She laughs and pushes me away from her. _

_"__Hey Rose? You have the prettiest eyes." I tell her. Rose smiles._


	32. Chapter 32

**_"_****_Don't you remember? The reason you loved me before," – Take it All by Adele (Album: 21) _**

"Hi,"

"Hi,"

His face is surprised, he probably never expected to find me standing on his porch on a Saturday afternoon.

"I come bearing gifts." I hold up the pizza box in my hands. Edward smiles wide and leans against the door jam, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Gift or bribe?" He asks.

"What would I be bribing you for?" I ask.

"I don't know," He shakes his head. "I'm also not sure why you'd bring me a gift."

"It's more of an apology." I pause for a second before admitting, "For ignoring you these past couple weeks."

"I told you." He smirks. I roll my eyes at him. This is nice, easy. Talking with him has always been easy.

"I was lost in my head for a while." I tell him. Edward nods, like he understands, like he knows this about me.

"But you're back now." He says.

"Yeah."

"Come on in." He grabs the pizza from me and leads me into his home.

We walk past the living room and I stop. Noticing this Edward stops too, looking back he smiles sheepishly. I laugh.

"Mags wanted a camp out last night, this was the best I could do." He tells me. His large living room is a mess of blankets, pillows, and sheets, artfully crafted into a large fort.

"This is fantastic, Edward." I tell him, meaning it greatly.

"Where is Maggie, anyways?" I ask, noticing the silence in his house. Maggie is a ball of energy, loud and moving.

"She's actually with my parent's today, they wanted to take her to the zoo, now that the weathers cleared up." He tells me as we move into the kitchen.

"Do you want to eat here or..?" He trails off, grabbing two plates from the cupboard.

"Would it be weird if I said, I really want to go in the fort?" I laugh.

"Not at all, it is pretty cool." He laughs.

We make are way to the fort and crawl in, rather ungracefully I might add. Sitting with our backs leaning against his couch, our legs stretched out before us, we start to munch on the lunch I brought.

"Can I tell you something?" I say.

"Always." He tells me.

"I feel like I don't know you." I say. "I mean, I know you, obviously." He smiles at this around his pizza "But not this you." I explain, hoping he understands.

"I get it." Edward says.

"You do?"

"Yeah. I know a part of you, but definitely not this new grown-up women version of you. And you don't know this grown-up, man and dad version of me." He explains it much better than I did. I forgot how he could always understand me, it's amazing he still gets me after all this time. I smile at him.

"Let's fix that." He tells me.

"Okay, how is it that I've been teaching your daughter for three months now and I'm just now seeing you?" I ask. Edward laughs.

"I wondered the same thing after I saw you." He says.

Edward goes on to tell me that Maggie had been staying with his sister and brother-in-law, while he was off on a book tour for his recent best seller. "Alice signed her up for classes. Maggie's one of those children who was dancing before she was walking. She reminded me a lot of you actually." He admits. I can see a dash of pink on his cheeks even through the dimed lighting in the tent.

He laughs after a second. "I still can't believe you're the Miss Bella she's been telling me about. Maggie just raves about you. You're her favorite teacher."

I smile in thanks then change the subject.

"You were on tour for three months? That's a long time." I observe.

Edward sighs, "It is. It was international. I took a lot of breaks to come home though. I've never left Maggie for that long. And it will never happen again, I swear I had more separation anxiety than she did." He laughs.

Edward goes on to tell me more about his tour, even giving me a brief synopsis of his current book after I admit I haven't read it.

"Your dance studio, 'Charlie's Angles Dance Studio' you dedicate that to your dad?" He asked.

"Yeah. It's named after my dad." I pause. "And Rosalie's love of Charlie's Angels." I admit, referencing the television show. Edward laughs.

"It was a compromise." I joke.

"He would have been proud of you." Edward says.

"Thank you." I tell him, meaning it fully. "What about your dad? How'd he take you not wanting to be a lawyer?" I ask.

"Surprisingly well." Edward says. "I think after he read some of my work, he realized this is what I was meant to do."

"And that spot he was saving for you at his firm?" I ask, curious. There was one spot for him, one for his sister Alice, who had already been on her way to become a lawyer.

Edward smiles, "Happily occupied by Alice's husband Jasper."

"They're both lawyers?" I ask

"Yeah." Edward nods.

"They're poor children." I say. "They will never win an argument."

"You'd actually be surprised." Edward laughs. I lean farther back against the couch, scooting down more, Edward does the same, shifting closer to me as he does.

I turn my head and notice how handsome he is, always has been.

"This might sound weird but I'm really happy for you Edward. You've done really well for yourself. And Maggie." I tell him. Edward doesn't say anything, he just looks at me, deep, intense.

"Do you feel like you know me know?" He asks.

"Yes." I say, even though I've only cracked the surface it's easy to see he's much the same man as the boy I knew. Just more. And from what I've seen and know, I like the more.

"Do you like what you know?" Edward continues.

"Of course, Edward. I could never not like you." I tell him.

"Good." He says.

Shifting once more he comes closer more, his body just barely brushing against mine. His head leans closer to mine and automatically I do the same.

"Tell me to stop and I will." He promises. I don't say a word.

His lips gently brush against mine at first, light and tentative before more pressure is applied and he's kissing me like I know that man can. Full of heat and passion, his tongue swirls with mine, his teeth nip at my bottom lip. It's all fire and heat and us. And I missed this.

I missed him.


	33. Chapter 33

**_"_****_The only thing that I want is your love," – Water Under the Bridge by Adele (Album: 25)_**

Two of my dance instructors are out sick today, a summer flu that's been going around caught up to them. With short notice and no replacements in sight Rosalie and I took over their classes for the day.

I'd just finished my last class of the day before excusing myself out of the studio and into the hall to answer my cell phone. It had been constantly ringing all day, but my busy schedule had not given me a chance to answer. It was Edward.

All day it had been Edward calling. I answered.

"I'm not avoiding you this time. I promise." I tell him right off the bat.

I haven't talked to him since our kiss on Saturday. I was still shocked by what happened. Not by the fact that he kissed me, but by what I felt. It was just like when he was mine and I was in love with him. Everything felt whole and right and perfect.

Nobody else has made me feel like that. This boy, turned man, is the only one who can. And that scares me a little.

"You had me worried there for a moment." He laughs over the receiver.

"I've been teaching all day." I explain.

"That's okay. I just wanted to warn you about something." He starts.

"Warn me?" I interrupt. He laughs.

"My sister Alice is picking Mags up today and I may have let it slip about you being, well you." Edward tells me.

"And that entails a warning?" I ask.

Turning toward the mirror that faces into the studio, I see Maggie, slipping on her jacket over her little leotard and skirt. A small women, with straight shoulder length dark brown hair, stood nearby, waiting in a structured dress and very high heels. I know her from when we signed Maggie up.

"She's very excited. She never got to meet you back then and is all about making up for that now." He tells me. Alice turns and looks at me, a smile on her pretty face she waves, I wave back.

"Well, your warning may be moot, we'll see." I tell him, stepping into the doorway of the studio.

"Call me later and let me know you're still alive?" He asks.

I pause for just a moment, knowing that if I call him later we won't be talking about his sister.

"Of course." I tell him.

"Have fun." He tells me before disconnecting.


	34. Chapter 34

**_"_****_And a part of me keeps holding on. Just in case it hasn't gone. Cause I still care. Do you still care?" – When We Were Young by Adele (Album: 25)_**

It was odd standing in the studio with Alice, this face I knew with a new identity put on it.

Maggie was off chatting with her little friends before they all left. The conversation starts off normal enough, like they all do. With the 'how are yous' and the "how did Maggie do today" before Alice cuts the bullshit and gets the point.

"Edward warned you, didn't he?" She asks.

"Maybe." I omit the truth. Alice laughs.

"I can not believe it's you. Edward's Bella. I remember hearing this and that about you, for so long and it turns out I've know you for months." Alice says. I say nothing in response not knowing what to say.

"You were good for him then." She says, "I think you'll be good for him now too,"

She nods her head as she looks at me. Like she's not just seeing me, but picturing me with her brother and what that would mean. Maybe Edward told her about our kiss and she's jumping the gun.

"Excuse me?" I say.

Alice looks up and meets my eyes. Wide-eyed and brilliant green. The same color as her brothers. It's amazing I never even thought they could be connected until the dots were right in front of me. Alice smiles at me, wide and with teeth, she doesn't look like somebody in the know.

Somebody who knows Edward and I shared the best kiss I'd had since our last one. That's just between him and I then. Before Alice can say anything else, Maggie's pulling on her arm, asking her to hurry up.

"We're leaving, we're leaving." Alice tells her, allowing Maggie to pull her out of the studio.

"You, me, coffee." She says, pointing my way.

"Okay." I agree. "Bye Alice, bye Maggie."

I earn two waves in return as they disappear out the doors.

After feeding my fish and curling up on my couch, I call him like promised. The line's picked up and there's silence for a minute before I hear him.

"I see you survived." He says softly.

"Worried I wouldn't?" I ask.

"Maybe a little bit." He answers.

"She's not an animal Edward. Alice is harmless." I tell him.

"You've never had to live with her." Edward snarks.

"That I have not." I respond. He laughs.

"Edward?"

"Bella?"

"Why are you whispering?" I ask.

"Oh." He says, "Sorry, I was with Maggie when you called."

Now it was my turn to apologize.

"I'm sorry Edward, I didn't think she'd be awake." I tell him.

"She's not." He says. "I put her to bed a while ago but it was 'daddy lay with me' then 'daddy read me a book' and that turned into five until she fell asleep on me. I had to disentangle myself from her when you called." He explained.

"You're sweet." I tell him. Just picturing him and his little girl makes me tingle.

He laughs gently, "I'm glad you think so."

There's a brief pause then, and we both know where this conversation's heading next but whose going to bring it up? I keep my mouth shut. Not ready for the conversation to start. The fear of where it may or may not be going is standing at a safe distance away and I'm not about to walk up and choose a path yet.

"Are we going to talk about it?" He asks.

"Edward." I sigh.

"I'll take that as a no." He jokes. I stay silent.

"Tell me something though, to clear my conscience. Are you in a relationship right now?" He asks serious.

"No." And then before I can stop myself, "Are you?"

"No, I'm not."

"Can I tell you something?" I ask, taking this chance before I lose my nerve.

"Anything." He says.

"All these years, I thought of you. A lot more than I'd like to admit. What it would have been like having you with me in New York. Or if we had tried the long distance thing, if you could have been there for me with my dad. If I could have just had you, all these years." I say.

Edward's silent for a minute before he answers me, "I used to, a lot. All through college I used to think what it would have been like if I followed you to New York. Or somehow convinced you to come with me. Or if we would have been one of the few to last through long distance. But…"

Before he can finish and say what I know is coming I say it for him, because it's exactly what I've been thinking lately, what has been making all my thoughts of re-writing history disappear into smoke.

"But then you had Maggie." I say. "And you knew if we had stayed together, she wouldn't be here."

"Yes. Exactly. And there are things in my past I would change. But Maggie will never be one of them." He says.

"And she shouldn't be." I tell him honestly.

"Don't you think this is the way it's supposed to be though?" Edward asks, "You losing your dad and making a life in Seattle. Maggie and I coming to Seattle and finding you. Maybe it's our second chance at this. Maybe it's fate."

This was the conversation I'd been trying to avoid and I had stepped right into, I ran a red light and kept on going.

"Fate, Edward?" I say.

"Yes. I know you believed in fate once, Bella. Believe in it again." He tells me, his voice begging and pleading for me.

"I never stopped believing in fate." I say softly.

"Go out with me." He blurts.

"Edward." I say.

"Bella." He mimics.

"Go out to dinner with me. Get to know more of me. Date me." He says, spelling it all out. I try to fight my growing smile, but I can't.

"Okay. I'd love to." I tell him, butterflies erupting in my stomach and my heart melting as we disconnect.


	35. Chapter 35

**_"_****_I want every single piece of you," – I Miss You by Adele (Album: 25)_**

Having coffee with Alice morphed into watching her five-year olds soccer game, while Alice supplied the coffee in apology.

"Sorry about this." Alice says, for the umpteenth time as we sit on the sidelines in our fold out chairs, more comfortable than they sound.

"Alice, stop apologizing. I'm not upset." I tell her. In all honestly, this is probably more exciting than the two of us sitting at a coffee shop.

"Okay, thanks. She just came to me this morning with her cute little face and pout begging me to come to her game today." Alice explains. "How can you say no to that?" She points to where her daughter stands out on the field.

"You don't." I say. And you truly can't.

I met Alice's daughter, Kate, when I got here. She's an adorable little thing. Looks just like her mother, petite and fair, but with baby blue eyes and golden blonde curls. From her father, I'm assuming.

"I'm pretty sure it was a set up." Alice says, gently fanning herself with her hand. "Since right after she gives me the puppy dog eyes, Jasper tells me he has to go into work for a few hours. So I get the kids anyway. He just doesn't get an irritated wife."

I laugh, glancing down at her two-year old son, Peter, sitting on a blanket at our feet playing with some blocks.

"I've done it to him before, so I guess this is payback." Alice continues. I smile at her.

"I was so excited when Edward let me sign Maggie up for ballet." Alice says, "I may have a little girl but she's more of a tomboy. Prefers using her feet to kick soccer balls than to dance with."

"She does what makes her happy." I say, understanding.

"And I love that it does. The smile she got after getting her first goal? Priceless. I just love that Edward got Mags into ballet though, she was dancing before she was walking." Alice says. I smile at the thought, thinking back to when Edward said the same thing.

"Why didn't he sign her up sooner?" I ask

Alice shrugs. "I'm not too sure. Maybe he didn't think she was old enough or maybe it was too hard considering." She nods her head at me. "History." I nodded at her.

"But it gave her something to focus on. With Edward being away." Alice adds.

"That must have been hard on her." I say.

"It was at times. But Maggie stayed with us, and she and Katie are the best of friends, so they kept busy." Alice says.

"That's nice. Katie's only a few months younger, right? That must have been hard on your family. All those babies at once." I say.

Alice laughs. "A little bit. Jasper and I had planned Katie and as you probably know Maggie was our little surprise. It worked out though. Mom and dad spent some time in California with Edward helping him out with Maggie and by the time they got back to Seattle, I was popping out Kate."

I laughed at her description.

"It worked out perfectly though. Maggie and Katie are like sisters. It's great that Edward moved back home, because now they get to see each other more. Maybe a little too much." Alice chuckles.

"But it's nice they have each other." I say, taking a sip on my drink. A cheer erupts from our side of the field and Alice, the good mom she is, cheers along for her daughter's team as a little boy chases the ball down the field.

"So, I hear you and Edward have a date coming up?" She mentions as casually as she can. I smile lightly.

"We may be going to dinner." I tell her, keeping it simple.

"Uh huh." She says, side-eyeing me.

"Did I miss another goal?" A man asks, coming up beside us he kneels by Alice, saving me from interrogation. He has short curly blond hair and the baby blue eyes of Kate.

"Not yet." Alice responds before he kisses her chastely on the lips. She palms his cheek as they separated and smiles at him gently.

"Bella, this is Jasper." Alice introduces. We wave at each other before Jasper picks Peter up onto his hip.

"Hey buddy, is Mommy letting you eat grass again?" Jasper asks his son rhetorically, gently wiping grass off his face and the inside of his sweaty fists.

"No." Peter laughs. Alice laughs at the both of them. It's sweet seeing the two of them with their kids.

It's what I want.


	36. Chapter 36

**_"_****_I'll be waiting for you. When you're ready to love me again," – I'll be Waiting by Adele (Album: 21) _**

We're keeping it simple and going to dinner. Edward picks me up from my apartment and we go to a little Mexican restaurant he swears by. It's cute and casual and perfect for a first date. Or in our case a second first date.

As always it's easy just being with him. The hard part is my feelings, because I've always felt too much for him. We talk as we eat, keeping conversation as simple as the date. Not getting too deep. We talk about college, about our friends. He tells me about how he and Emmett became friends, finding it funny he's my best friend's husband. We talk about his move back to Seattle and of course, Maggie.

"While I was gone, my mom was decorating my house and unpacking everything for me." He says. "Every day I'd get e-mails or phone calls with paint colors or decorating idea's she wanted to try. If I hadn't come home as much as I did, I'm pretty sure my house would look like the inside of an Ikea." He laughs.

"How often did you come home?" I ask

"As much as possible. I'd call Maggie every day, but I couldn't stand not seeing her for too long. Whenever I was home we'd just stay in and I'd fix the house. And she'd just tag along. Telling me all about what she'd been doing, even if she already told me on the phone."

"She's so enthusiastic when she tells a story. It's so cute." I say.

"She gets very into it." Edward nods.

"The way she waves her little hands. It's adorable." I tell him. Edward smiles wide.

"I love the way you notice thing like that about her." He tells me.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." He nods, "It means you pay attention. That you care enough to notice."

"Of course I care." I tell him.

"And I love that you do." He says. I smile and take a bite of food. Not being naïve to the fact that he used the word love twice in less than two minutes. That's the way it always is with Edward. Though circumstances have changed and we've grown, it's still so simple between us. Easy to just fall right back to where we were. And that scares me a bit. It's almost too easy.

When we leave the restaurant Edward drives me back to my apartment, walking me up to the door like a gentleman.

"Did you have a good time tonight?" He asks.

"I did." I smile.

"Are you sure?" He asks, a serious expression on his face. Deep green eyes boring into my brown.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

Edward sighs deeply and runs a hand through his hair.

"It's just…Bella, if you didn't want to go out with me, all you had to do was say so. Because I can feel you're holding back. I know you. We've been focusing on getting to know each other again but forgetting how well we still know each other. And after all these years somethings haven't changed."

I start to speak, but he continues, "I know years ago things ended because they had. And I never expected to see you again. Not like this. When I have a chance with you. And I still feel something. The same something I felt back then, but more. We're older Bella, I want more with you than just dating. I want this to become something. And if you don't feel it too, tell me now, before I get anymore invested."

I keep quiet for a minute and look at him. I see him for less of the boy he was and more of the man he is. Both of which are amazing. With his hair going every which way, face serious, and prepared for heartbreak. He looks exhausted. A single father trying to find the love he lost before. Thinking he missed his chance for good.

"I feel it too." I tell him, his green eyes light up instantly. "And more. I'm invested, Edward. I'm just scared by how invested I already am. By how easy it is to just fall right where we left off." I explain.

He steps closer, rubbing my arms with his callused hands.

"It's easy because it's us." He says. "You and me, Bella. And we're not falling back. We're different people in different places in life. We're taking a step forward. Toward something more. Something better than teenage love gone wrong."

"I see now why you're a writer." I tell him, moving closer, resting my hands on his waist.

"This isn't fiction. Believe me." He says. His breath fanning my face.

"I believe you. And no more holding back." I tell him, proving my point by closing the space between us and kissing him. Deep and full of feeling.


	37. Chapter 37

**_"_****_Our love ain't water under the bridge," – Water Under the Bridge by Adele (Album: 25)_**

We spent the next couple weeks in routine bliss. Keeping quiet about our budding relationship, Edward and I speak on the phone every night and when he could be pulled away from his writing, Edward would visit me at the studio. Always bringing lunch with him, for both Rosalie and myself. He's a gentlemen.

With obvious suspicion about us, Rose would make an excuse to leave the office and let us eat alone. Giving us time to ourselves. And we took that time. With fear of this relationship far from my mind, Edward and I took continued to get to know each other again, filling in the blanks from the last ten years. And as much as he's grown and changed, he's still very much the boy I once fell in love with.

While watching television in my apartment he calls me.

"Hey you." I say.

"Hey baby."

"How's your night? Any interesting bedtime stories today?" I ask.

Edward admitted that every night he makes up a bedtime story for Maggie. She refuses to hear one from a book. Some nights they're good, other's he's just pulling things out of his ass. Or so Edward says.

"I'm telling you, once this mystery writing thing falls apart, I can write dozens of children's books." He tells me.

"Some may give them nightmares. But that's just risk they're going to have to take." I joke.

"It was once. Maggie had one nightmare." He argues. I can just imagine his green eyes rolling at me. I laugh anyways.

"I actually called because I wanted to talk to you about this weekend." Edward starts. Our glamorous third date. Edward was going to take me to a club for drinks and dancing.

"Are you reminding me to wear something sexy? Because you've done that many times." I laugh. It was actually only once, in a very saucy text message.

"Like you need reminding. You're always sexy." He tells me. I blush, thankful he can't see me.

"I actually need to cancel or reschedule. Up to you." He says. I feel dread sink into my stomach. Edward's not once to cancel. He continues, "My babysitter backed out. So you can come with Maggie and me to see a movie and dinner or we can try for next week." I smile over the phone imaging him wracking his hands through his hair, nervous to call me knowing it's not what I expected to hear.

"I'm sorry. I hope you're not upset." He says.

"Of course not Edward." I tell him, "And I'd love to see and movie with you and Maggie."

"You say that but you realize any movie we see will be of the cartoon variety." He reminds.

"I happen to like cartoons." I tell him. And I happen to like him and Maggie. And bringing her with us on a date is a new step in our relationship.

"And I happen to like you." Edward says. I smile wide.

"Will this be weird for Maggie?" I ask.

"No. I'll talk to her and explain it. You might get some random question but other than that she's pretty chill with things most of the time." He tells me. I love the way he talks about his daughter, one minute she's his baby the next he speaks like she's a little adult. It's adorable.

"Have you introduced her to a girlfriend before?" I ask.

"Bella Swan. Are you implying that you're my girlfriend?" He teases. I laugh.

"Of course not. It would be rude to imply. But since you're my boyfriend, I just assumed."

"Cause it's not rude to assume." He laughs. "But assume away. Girlfriend." We hadn't talked about labels. After our first date, it was an unstated agreement that we were exclusive. And now that it's out there. It really doesn't change a thing for us.

"But to answer your question. She's never met any girl I've dated actually." He says.

"Never?" I say. Maggie's five and obviously he's dated in the last five years.

"Yes, never." He confirms, "Nobody was ever important enough."

"And I'm important?" I ask.

"Always."


	38. Chapter 38

**_"_****_With your loving, there ain't nothing that I can't adore," – Sweetest Devotion by Adele (Album: 25)_**

In times like this, Rose is who I call.

"Yes?" She answers.

"What do you wear on a date to see a kid's movie?" I ask.

"Is your date under the age of twelve?" She snarks.

"The date is with a guy I really like and his kid. Who yes, is under twelve." I tell her, rolling my eyes.

She knows who I'm dressing for. Seeing Edward bring me lunch almost every day for two weeks has her curious and I appreciate that she's kept quiet about it. Not pushing me for details before I'm ready to talk. She knows about our first date, the dinner part. But I haven't been quite ready to tell her about the other part. The after dinner part.

"So Edward's taking you to a movie with Maggie? That's a big step." Rose says. I sit on the end of my bed and stare at my closet.

"Yeah. I know." I sigh.

"Don't be nervous. You already know Maggie. Now just be yourself and get to know her and Edward together. And outside of the dance studio."

"Okay."

"Plus, she already likes you. So the hard parts over with." Rose says.

"I hope so."

"Much more has happened between you guys then you're telling me isn't there?" She asks.

"A little. And I promise to tell you later. I just need to decide on clothes now." I tell her.

"Take you time. I know you Bell, when to push and when not to. And I'm not pushing. You gave Edward a chance and that's all I wanted for you." Rose tells me.

"Also, I'm pretty sure Edward wouldn't mind you going out with just your underwear on."

I laugh. "Maggie might."

"That is true."

Rose tells me to keep it simple. Jeans and a t-shirt, nothing too complicated.

They pick me up at my apartment. Both Edward and his smaller half standing on my doormat. Each with a flower in hand, Edward's yellow, Maggie's pink. They complement each other. I smile wide, they're sweet.

"We brought you flowers Miss Bella." Maggie announces, shoving her flower at me.

"Thank you, they're beautiful Maggie. Just like you." I tell her. She beams and passes me into my apartment. Edward has a slower approach, closing the distance he kisses me lightly on the check before placing his flower in my hand.

"Its beauty has nothing on you." He murmurs in my ear.

"What a line." I tease.

"But oh, so true." He tells me. Being aware of his daughter standing just inside, I back away. After putting the two flowers into a cup of water, the disadvantages of not owning a vase, we leave for the movie.

"I guess next time Maggie and I will have to bring you a vase." Edward teases. Maggie giggles as Edward buckles her in.

"Just the two of you is enough." I tell him, hopping into the front seat of his truck.

Maggie spends the drive talking. Edward and I barley getting a word in edgewise. She tells me about how excited she is about going to kindergarten this year, about how much she's been practicing for our recital that's coming up, and how her cousin Katie got into trouble for kicking a soccer ball at her other cousin, Peter, because that's not nice.

I listen and retain the best I can. Wondering if this is what it's like for Edward every day. To listen to his lovely daughter speak with such excitement. Because honestly, I could get used to. Maggie stops talking when Edward parks the car at the theater.

"Sorry about that." Edward apologizes once we're out of the car. Maggie patiently waiting for Edward to let her out, knowing their rules. "She talks a lot when she's excited. She gets it from my mom." Edward says. I laugh.

"Its okay Edward. I enjoy listening to her, really." I tell him. Opening the door Edward helps Maggie out of the truck, grabbing his hand then mine Maggie leads the way to the theater.

"Thank you." Edward tells me over Maggie.

"For what?" I ask. I never get an answer as Maggie interrupts with a demand that the line needs to move faster or we'll miss the whole movie.

When the movie is over we go out for pizza. The cartoon was cute and Maggie loved it, happily chomping away on gummy bears and popcorn through the beginning before passing the rest off to her father and me. He got the popcorn, I got the gummy bears, because as she put it, the gummy bears are yummier.

Seated in a booth with Maggie across from the two of us we eat.

"Slow down, sweetheart. The games aren't going anywhere." Edward tells her, reaching across the table to wipe her mouth off.

"Miss Bella will you play a game with me? Daddy says I need assist-ance" She pronounces the last word matter of fact.

"Well if daddy says so." I tease, elbowing Edward in the arm, casing his pizza to miss his mouth. He mock glares over at me as Maggie and I laugh at him. With determination in his bright green eyes he leans over and steals a bite of pizza from me and then her.

"There. Even." He announces.

"How is that even?" I ask.

"Yeah! No fair." Maggie agrees.

"Because I'm the dad. I said so." He nods. I laugh and Maggie rolls her eyes dramatically.

It's funny and adorable. Just like her. I'm loving this. This day with the two of them. All of us together. It's normal and natural and not something any of us have to work at. Just like Edward and I together is easy, the three of us is easy too. And that says something.

After Maggie finishes her pizza she practically vibrates in the booth, waiting for me to finish mine and play with her. I give into her excitement and leave my half eaten pizza on my plate, Edward gives me a knowing smiles as Maggie and I walk to the arcade area, her little hand clutching my bigger one.

"So are you Daddy's girlfriend now?" Maggie ask. I look over at her.

"Cause that's what he says. And Daddy's always right." She continues. I smile at her child like innocence. Where her father's always right and will never do her wrong. The hero of her little world. I hope she never loses that.

"Yes. I am." I tell her, then hesitantly ask "Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah!" She excited. "You can come over and play with me and show me more dances and have more pizza and watch princess movies." She continues on listing the reasons why she's okay with my dating her father. Most involving her, dance, and a princess of some sort. It's adorable. And I'm relieved.

When Edward takes me home that night, with Maggie passed out in her car seat in a pizza haze, he opens the truck door for me.

"I'd walk you up, but…" He trails over, nodding over at the sleeping child.

"I know." I tell him, leaning lightly against his truck door. He steps closer and rest his hands on my hips, gently pulling me into him.

"Thank you for today." I tell him, my arms wrapping loosely around his neck.

"It was our pleasure." He smiles. Leaning down he kisses me soft and sweet. Lips gentle against my own as they move together. A practiced dance, one remembered from long ago.

Pulling away he says to me, "And thank you Bella, for everything."

With one last kiss, I leave him there, watching over me as I make my way to my apartment. I look out the window when I get in and wave down. I don't know if he can see me or not but its then when he finally gets in the car, satisfied that I'm safe and sound. And its then when I realize that Maggie is everything to him. And maybe I just might be too. Because the two of them are becoming everything to me.


	39. Chapter 39

**_"_****_Your love, it is my truth. And I will always love you," – Remedy by Adele (Album: 25)_**

The day of the summer recital is hectic. It will be a long night for Rose and myself, but at the end, seeing the glow of happiness and accomplishment on the student's faces will make this stressful day worth it.

Before we know it, the theater is filling with hordes of family, friends, and children in costumes running backstage to get make-up done. Rosalie and I mingle, it's not just a recital, it's the time to get donations and new students into the studio. It's an important night.

I see Edward for only a second, sending Maggie off backstage, before finding a seat with his family. He glances at me and smiles. Our contact though is broken by a mother wanting to know about our programs during the school year. My job continues.

All the kids do great, from little ones to the more advanced students. Leaving tonight I can say that I am one proud teacher. Maggie does amazing, only falling off balance for a few turns. She's improved so much.

At the end of it all Rosalie and I present all of our instructors with flowers, a thanks for all of their hard work and dedication to these children. The parents of the children do the same for us. I finally get a chance to see Edward and Maggie after the crowd thins out. Lowering to my knees I hug the little girl tight.

"You did so well. I'm so proud of you." I tell her.

"Thanks!" She beams, pulling away to look up at her dad.

"We got you somthin'" She smiles wide, Edward hands her a small box. She grabs it and hands it over to me. I open it right then and there. Inside was a box of IOU's. All hand made by the two. They ranged from a quite romantic night to a princess tea party. It was perfect.

"Since everyone's giving you flowers, we thought we would be a little different." Edward explains.

Raising to my feet I tell them, "It's perfect." I bend down and kiss Maggie on the cheek before leaning over her and doing the same to her father. I don't know who smiles wider, but Edward's green eyes gleam with adoration.

Maggie tugs on Edward's shirt before pointing across the room to her little friends. He gives her the go ahead and she leaves us. We move closer until his arms are circling my waist.

"You look beautiful." He tells me.

"You're not so bad yourself." I smile.

"She was the best one here tonight huh?" He asks.

"If I'm being biased…" I trail off and he laughs. Rosalie, though interrupts, sidling up next to us.

"I have parent's requesting you presence." She says.

"I request her presence." Edward tells her. Rose laughs.

"Parent's she's not sleeping with." Rosalie amends, pulling me away, linking her arm with mine.

Edward shakes his head as we leave.

"I'm not sleeping with him." I tell her as we walk across the room.

"Really?" She asks, surprised. She glances back and him. All done up with his slacks and navy button down, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a few days of scruff adorning his jaw. All messy hair and gleaming green eyes.

"Why the hell not?" She asks. Looking back too, I ask myself the same question.

"I don't know." I tell her. I really don't.


	40. Chapter 40

**_"_****_My oh my. How my blood boils its sweet taste for you. Strips me down bare. And gets me into my favorite mood," – Crazy for You by Adele (Album: 19) _**

Edward convinces me to use the romantic night for two IOU he gave me, telling me:

"We need it, and Alice needs to spend some time with her niece."

With Alice on bored the day was a go. Edward picked me up from my apartment, driving us across town to eat dinner at a little food truck Emmett raves about. And it was probably the some of the best food I'd had. Stopping at the grocery store on the way home for some take home ice cream, Edward and I wonder, hand in hand down the aisle.

"This is so romantic." I tell him. "No man has ever taken me grocery shopping on a date."

Laughing, Edward pulls me closer, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, "shush," He says, kissing my temple. I laugh.

"There's a point to this. Trust me." He continues.

We debate for longer than necessary over ice cream flavors and then over which toppings to buy before checking out and heading back to his house. I've been spending my weekends here, with Edward and Maggie. Doing nothing and everything. Just being with them, so walking in and see the blanket fort back up was new. It was larger this time, tall enough for us to stand in, and surrounding his TV as well. Much more grand than last time.

"Maggie's idea?" I asked, pointing as we walked to the kitchen.

"Nope. Mine. And that, is your romance." He tells me, wiggling his eyebrows for effect. I laugh, but the truth is, this man is just…amazing.

After making our ice cream sundaes we go into the fort. This time around, there are multiple blankets on the floor and about a dozen pillows scattered around. And with the overhead lights dimmed and Edward relaxing back. It was very romantic. Maybe too much, if he wanted me to control myself and eat ice cream all night.

After what Rose mentioned at the recital, I couldn't get the thought of sex out of my head. It was bound to happen, in our alone time the kisses kept getting hotter and heavier and hands kept wandering further and further from safe territory. We hadn't talked much about it, when the time was right, it will happen. And with this romantic atmosphere and tangible electricity running through us, something was bound to happen soon.

Edward puts a movie on-a romantic movie that I know he hates within the first five minutes, but loves because it made me smile when it started. And I love that about him. When the ice cream is finished, each of our sundaes shared and smeared over laughing faces, the bowls are taken to the kitchen.

Half way through the movie, I get distracted by kisses to my neck. Soft a first, from the corner of my jaw to the edge of my collar bone and back up again. Then more, sucking, licking, warm breath against my neck. The acting on the screen no longer holding an ounce of my attention. His rough hands wander down to my thighs, sliding up the hem of my dress.

"Have I ever told you how much I love it when you wear dresses?" He whispers softly, warm lips caressing the shell of my ear.

"No, you haven't" I breathe. "What's so great about them? How pretty they are?"

"No." He shakes his head, a few days old scruff scratching the sensitive skin of my neck.

"You're pretty all on your own."

I smile and breathe in sharp as his hands wander further upward, closer to where I want him.

"Then why?" I ask, turning my head toward him, his face close to mine, I can taste every breathe he takes.

"Easy access." He tells me, lips brushing against mine as he speaks. I laugh and then smile, before pulling him in for a long hard kiss.

We slid down, so we're flat against the layer of blankets on the floor. As Edward's tongue mingles with mine, my dress disappears and so does Edward's clothing. Our underwear following shortly after and when we're both completely naked there's a moment of hesitation as we each take in the other.

He can see how I've changed, I have more curves and my dancers' body is not as toned and elegant as it once was. I'm older and it's obvious, but so is he. His shoulders are broader and he has a layer of chest hair. He's not as lanky as he once was, now more built and broad.

"Like what you see?" I ask. It's both out of curiosity and self-consciousness. He moves his green eyes, dark with passion and need, from my bare breast to my eyes.

"Always." He responds before rolling his body to cover mine.

The weight of him feels like perfection. He kisses me gently now, slow and precise, the urgency gone and now revealing a moment of tenderness. One hand moves to cup my breast, massaging it before lightly pinching the nipple. His mouth follows his hands, taking a nipple in his mouth, it feels amazing and my hands slide to his hair to keep him there, but he has other ideas, traveling farther down his finger find my opening and tease me there. I moan in response and lift my hips, encouraging.

Edward chuckles against the skin of my stomach, before slipping a finger inside my folds. I'm already wet for him. A second follows as he circles my clit with his thumb. I'm moaning and groaning, my hands latching on to his shoulders and I lift my hips to meet the movements of his fingers inside me. I'm falling apart and it feels fantastic.

With a shift of his wrist and flick of his thumb, I'm gone. My orgasm, hits me and I'm crying out Edward's name. He lets me ride it out, before removing his fingers. I see him reach over and in the mess of pillows grab a condom. I grab it from him and slip it on his thick cock. And with a kiss to my lips he thrusts inside me, filling me completely.

"God, Bella." He groans into my neck, I can only hum in response as he starts to move his hips. Slowly, he thrust in and out, creating a rhythm which I meet.

"Feels so good." I moan to him, the pressure building in me once again.

My hands slide up and down his back and he places kisses onto my neck as we move together, for the first time in a long time. As the pressure builds though, so does out pace, the urgency for release gets to us and his thrusts become more frantic, hitting the spot deep in me that makes it all so much better.

"Bella." He says my name slowly. His hand reaches down and rubs my clit, helping me get to where I want to be before he does.

"Edward." I call back, just as my orgasm hits me again and I'm gone.

Flying high in a wave of pleasure. His hips buck into me a few more times and he's flying too, before collapsing against me in a mess of sweat and sex. Still breathing hard, I can feel his chest rise up and down as he lifts himself to kiss me sweetly.

"You're perfection." He tells me.

"I was thinking the same thing about you." I say.


	41. Chapter 41

**_"_****_No one has me like you do, baby," – I Miss You by Adele (Album: 25)_**

"Bella," He whispers, gently shaking me awake. I groan in response and snuggle closer to my pillow. He laughs.

"Baby, I'm going to run and get breakfast. I just wanted to let you know so you don't wake up and wonder where I am. So could you please give me some kind of response that you hear me." He requests.

"Okay." I croak out sleepily, eyes still shut.

I feel Edward place a kiss to my head and not long after I register the door to the house closing before I drift off again. It's not until the aroma of coffee registers in my mind that I full awake again. This time I notice the ache in my body, mostly located in certain parts that had gone unused for a while. But it's such a good ache, reminding me of such a good night. I smile at the memory.

"I see you smiling, Bella. I knew coffee would do the trick." Edward says to me.

I peak on eye open and see him, laying there in sweats and a tee shirt, casual enough to go and get breakfast food, but defiantly not the way I wanted to wake up with him. The rest of last night was spent in the fort, naked. There was some cuddling and talking and sleep came on and off and so did many more orgasms, before we both passed out.

"Morning." I tell him, stretching as I sit up. Edward leans over and kisses me languidly, pulling me closer to him.

"Why are you dressed?" I ask, running my hand under his shirt and across his chest as I kiss his neck slowly with opened mouth kisses. He hums in response for a moment, before answering my question.

"Maggie will be home soon." He tells me, arms wrapping around my waist.

"Then maybe I should not be naked when she gets here." I say to him, trying to pull away. He doesn't let me.

"Not just yet," Edward passes me a coffee and pastry. "We have a little while. Maybe even enough time to take a shower." He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively and I can do nothing but snort into my coffee cup.

"It was better, wasn't it?" I ask.

"What? Last night?" He confirms.

"Yeah. I mean, sex with us. It was better last night than before, wasn't it?" I explain.

"Yeah. This time we're not a bunch of fumbling teenagers. But we've always been good together, baby." He smirks. I laugh. Neither Edward nor I was a virgin when we had met, but we both had lacked much experience.

When our coffee is gone and the pastries eaten, we take a shower together, getting a little more dirty before getting clean. Edward lends me some sweats and a shirt, so I don't have to wear my dress back home. Saving me from the walk of shame back to my apartment, not that I'm ashamed, just unprepared.

Just as we're done cleaning up the remnants of the living room fort, the front door slams open before two little girls run past us and up the stairs, hollering as they did so.

"Hi, daddy."

"Hi Uncle Edward."

"Obviously she missed me." Edward nodded.

"Obviously." I laughed.

Alice came through the door then, "Did they take off already?" She asked.

"I barely got acknowledged." Edward sighs. I roll my eyes at him. Alice laughs.

"Mags wanted to show Katie her room now that it's finished. So, what's going on here?" She nods toward my outfit and I blush lightly and smile. Not saying a word.

"None of your business." Edward responds for us.

"Uh huh." Alice smirks, but says no more. "Oh, the kids made cookies. Here's Maggie's half." She hands a container over to her brother, he looks at his distrustfully.

"And who happened to help the kids with the baking?" He asks.

Alice looks affronted, then sighs, "Jasper."

Turning to me he whispers, "Never take food from Alice, unless you know she didn't cook it."

"You give a few people food poisoning and they never let you forget it." Alice huffs.

"It was Thanksgiving, and half the family." Edward reminds her. He gets an eye roll in return and I laugh, thinking this is what it must have been like when they were children.

"And with that we should get going." Alice says.

"Thanks for watching Maggie," Edward tells her.

"Anytime, you know that. The girls can't get enough of each other." She responds before hollering up the stairs, "Katie Ann, time to go."

"We really appreciate it Alice." I tell her, knowing last night would have never happened if Maggie had been around.

"I know you do." Alice smiles at me.

The girls come running down the stairs as fast as their little legs can carry them, earning a raised eyebrows from their parents before well trained apologize fall form their lips for running in the house.

"Hi Miss Bella!" Maggie exclaims, noticing me for the first time. I smile bright.

"Hi Maggie."

Hugs and thank yous' are given before Alice and Kate are heading out the door.

"We'll leave you to whatever it is you were doing." Alice says, wiggling her eyebrows at her brother and I before closing the door behind her. I laugh as Edward curses his sister for being a pain.

"Miss Bella, are you staying for lunch?" Maggie asks me. Her innocence admirable, not even caring why I'm wearing her daddy's clothes. With a glance at Edward, I answer, "Of course."

And the smile on her face is worth it.


	42. Chapter 42

**_"_****_I'm trying to tell you just how. I'd like to hear the words roll out of your mouth finally. Say it's always been me. That made you feel the way you've never felt before. And that I'm all you need and that you never want more," – Best for Last by Adele (Album: 19)_**

I'd been expecting the phone call, but the level of panic in his voice was beyond what I had thought.

"Bella! My baby's a kindergartner." Edward wailed on the end of the phone.

Obviously he was be being over dramatic. He been a nervous wreck all week and this morning was Maggie's first day of school. Maggie for all intense and purposes had been excited, Edward's the only one having anxiety over her big day.

"Edward." I reply calmly.

"I knew it was coming but, Bella, she didn't even say goodbye. All I got was a half assed wave as she ran into the classroom. She doesn't even care." He whines.

"Edward." This time I say it sternly. He knows that's not true, he just want to enjoy his pity party.

"I know, I know." He responds, knowing exactly what I'm thinking.

"Are you at your apartment?" He asks.

"No, I'm at the studio." I tell him, leaning back in my desk chair.

"This early?"

"Some students wanted to come in before school." I shrug, even though he can't see.

"Sounds like you in high school." Edward laughs.

"And that's why I understand their dedication." I tell him

"Can I stop by? I'll bring coffee." He offers.

"Sure. I'll be around."

And true to his word, Edward shows up with coffee in hands ten minutes later.

"You're so dramatic." I tell him as he takes a seat.

"I was crying and she just walks away," He tells me sipping his drink.

"Edward, you know how excited Maggie's been." I tell him.

"I know." He says, then again with more commitment, "I know. I just didn't think I would be this emotional. I never thought it would be this hard." I rub his back gently and place my other hand on his knee.

"Did you really cry?" I ask.

"Like a baby." He tells me. And as I look closely, I can see a gentle ring of red around his green orbs.

Holding in a smile I tell him, "That's adorable." To which he makes a face at me.

"Baby, I'm a man. I'm not adorable. I'm masculine and manly." He argues.

"And you care about Maggie more than anything." I tell him.

"I care about you more than anything too. You and Maggie." He tells me, serious now.

"I know." I say, then add, "I feel the same," His green eyes shine bright as he kiss me deep.

I join Edward to pick Maggie up from school and when she skips out of the classroom a wide smile, you just knew her first day of school was one for the books. Worth Edward's turmoil, whether he thought so or not.

Launching herself at her father, Edward lifted her in the air and hugged her tight. Seeing me, she removed herself from his clutches and gave me a hug as well. For the rest of the night Maggie went on about her day at school, the activities, her teacher, the friends she made. Everything and anything.

"And then Avery told Ms. Claire-" Her sentence was interrupted by dinner being stuffed in her mouth, "That."

"Maggie, honey. No talking with your mouth full." I reminded her gently, reaching over to wipe spaghetti sauce from her face.

"Sorry, Ms. Bella." She smiles sheepishly at me once she swallowed.

"Maggie, how about you tell us about what you learned today? I think you've told us enough about Avery." Edward says. I laugh, but Maggie does as she's asked. Once Edward found out that Avery was a boy, he hasn't been too keen on hearing more stories about him.

"Our letter for today is A. Like Avery!" Maggie says. I snort and Edward sends me a look "And apple, and—" Maggie stops, thinking.

"And starts with an A." I tell her gently. Her little face lights up.

"And! Now I have more." She says, before piling more pasta into her mouth.

When dinner's over and little girl's baths are taken, Maggie gets tucked in for the night, only after I have helped her pick out an outfit for the next day. Because apparently Daddy just doesn't get it, according to Mags. With a quick kiss to her forehead, I leave Edward and his baby girl alone for their nighttime ritual.

Relaxing on Edward's king size bed I drift off, only to be awoken by a hard body covering my gently.

Without opening my eyes I ask, "Edward?"

His body shakes mine as he laughs, "Who else is it going to be?"

Opening my eyes I look into his, "I don't know. My mystery lover."

"We're one in the same, baby." He tells me.

Moving down my body, he removes my pants, kissing up and down my legs, my underwear follow soon, and then he's kissing my inner thighs, his mouth so closer to where I need him to be as I'm panting for more. A thought enters my mind just as one of his fingers slides into wet heat.

"What about Maggie?" I ask through a moan.

"You're really thinking about that right now?" He asks, thrusting another finger into my wet folds.

"Sort of, a little, mhmm," I trail off out of pleasure.

"She's sleeping and will remain sleeping if you keep it down." He adds.

Smirking up at me when I look at him, eyes still boring into mine, his lips cover my clit. A silent scream leaves me. His fingers continue to work my opening as his tongue circles my clit, and just when I think I'm about to explode, I feel his tongue enter me, lapping up my juices while his thumb continues to rub me in tight circles. Harder and faster. I'm done. As quiet as I can be, I come with a curse, my hands fisted in Edward's hair. Sliding up, he kisses me on the neck.

"I'm gonna shower. I want you here when I get back." He tells me.

"You want me to stay?" I ask.

"Yes." He tells me. With one more kiss to my neck, Edward gets up and goes to his bathroom. I melt back into the bed, happy and sated.


	43. Chapter 43

**_Found myself today, singing out your name. You said I'm crazy. If I am, I'm crazy for you," – Crazy for You by Adele (Album: 19) _**

As we spend more time together I get to know the sides of Edward.

Watching him and Maggie together is fascinating, there is always a pull at my heart as I watch then interact. I saw the different sides of Edward being a father.

The protectiveness, as he watched his little girl like a hawk as she swung from the monkey bars. The worried, as he looked over his crying child after a scarped knee.

The frustration as he attempted to soothe an ever growing tantrum, without losing his anger.

The maternal half, as he did his best a perfecting the ballerina bun atop his daughter's head, her answering smile his best and only reward.

The carefree side, as he makes faces with oranges slices only to make Maggie laugh.

I see other sides of him too.

As the goofy boy I fell in love with, making bad jokes just to see me smile.

The serious writer who takes his time to perfect his craft before allowing other eyes to fall upon it.

I've seen the side of him as a brother. Teasing and bantering with Alice, all the while being there for her when needed.

I know the side of him as a best friend, having weekly basketball games with Emmett and going on coffee runs for Jasper.

I know him as a lover, the soft and gentle. The sweet and slow. The hard and fast.

The hopeless romantic, filled with one-liners meant to make my heart melt and succeeding brilliantly. It's the little things about him and everything together that make me love him.

And I do. Love him. Like no one else.

Maybe one person though. Maggie. She's a dream. Like all children a nightmare a times, but rarely, from my experience.

She loves to dance and to be with her cousin. Pink is her favorite color, followed very closely by yellow. Shes all about the princesses. Maggie's sweet and smart, even thoughtful, considering her age. When she gets mad her little pink lips pucker to a pout, eyes narrowing, mostly at her father, before stomping up to her room. She knows better than to slam the door or throw things. Edward tells me that stems from her "terrible two's" which according to him where appropriately named.

I've seen that little girl yell, cry, laugh, and smile until her eyes shone so bright. And I love her all the same. They're what's been missing in my life, what I've been waiting for.

I've seen all the sides of Edward and Maggie, and they're everything that I want.


	44. Chapter 44

**_"_****_If I tell the world. I'll never say enough. Cause it was not said to you. And that exactly what I need to do. If I am in love with you," – Chasing Pavements by Adele (Album: 19) _**

"I love your body." I tease him. Edward laughs, spooning me closer on the couch as Maggie lays passed out in a mass of pillows and blankets on the floor in front of us. A princess movie nearing its end remains on the television screen.

Edward's body is just so hard and sculptured everywhere, the complete opposite to my softness. We always seemed to fit just right, whether it's when we're being intimate or cuddling, his body wrapped around mine, the feeling of that, it's just right.

"Baby, I promise you, when were old and gray, sitting on our porch swing. You will still love my body." Edward teases. I turn to him, laying on my back, as he looks down at me.

"You want to grow old and gray with me?" I ask. A moment of playfulness turned casually serious. His deep green eyes, look straight into my brown as he says "Yes." I can't help but smiles. Reaching up I cup his cheek in my hand.

"I do love your body Edward. But I also love you. And I love Maggie." I tell him. Needing him to know. He kisses me hard, tongue tangling with my own, my face is flushed by the time he pulls back.

"God, Bella, I've been waiting to hear that. Cause I love you too, baby, so much."

This time I'm the one to kiss him quiet.


	45. Chapter 45

**_"_****_You make me feel like I am home again," – Lovesong by Adele (Album: 21) _**

As the months moved on, we moved seamlessly together. You could find my belongings scattered throughout Edward's house. I spent more night's there, than I did my own apartment.

The background on my phone changed from Vera, Rosalie's daughter, to a picture of Edward, Maggie, and I. More pictures of the same could be found at his house or even on my desk at the studio.

Weekends were always spent with the two of them, running errands or going to a movie. It was never a question or thought to be any other way. That's just how it was, even Maggie was used to it, calling me on my cell phone if I wasn't there in the morning to help her do her hair or take her for a run with me.

Just spending time with Maggie was natural. For her, I've changed from Miss Bella, the dance teacher, to Bella, daddy's girlfriend. The two of them are my favorite people in the world and it's so simple to be with them.

"Maggie, sweetheart, have you seen the whisk?" I ask, looking around the counter top for the object in demand.

"The what?" She asks, scrunching up her nose.

"The thing we stir with." I tell her gently.

"Oh. Here!" She lifts the whisk up from beside her, waving it around like a magic wand. Sitting up on the counter beside the bowl, Maggie and I were making brownies to go with the pot roast that was in the slow cooker.

"Oh, thanks Mags." I tell her. Taking the whisk from her hand I mix the batter together as Maggie drops in walnuts, little handfuls at a time. Once it's well mixed I let Maggie mix it some more.

"What is this? We're baking too?" Edward asks, walking into the kitchen.

"Daddy! Me and Bella are making brownies!" Maggie tells him excitedly, liking the whisk clean as I pour the batter into a pan.

"Making brownies or eating the batter?" Edward laughs, at her chocolate covered face, before stealing a lick.

"Hey!" She yells at him.

"Hey!" He mocks her back, leaning against the counter next to her.

After placing the brownies in the oven, I walk over to the two of them.

"Edward, have you seen my black heels? The shorter ones?" I ask him. I'd been looking up and down this house for them, my best guess now is that I left them at my apartment.

"Not that I can remember." He tells me.

"I'll have to go to my apartment tonight then. I need them tomorrow." I sigh, having been hoping for a quiet night inside with the two of them.

"How much stuff do you still have there?" Edward asks, casually.

I shrug, "I don't know. Maybe half my stuff." I tell him, smiling softly, because somehow the other half is here, just kind of drifted over with me when I stayed the night and never made its way back.

Now most of my clothes are mixed in with Edward's in the closet or in drawers he cleared out for me. My make-up and hair products have taken over Edward's bathroom. There's a box of tampons under the sink. My quilted blanket is laying over his couch.

"Maybe you should bring the rest of it over." Edward suggests, wiping Maggie's face with a washcloth.

"Edward, what are you saying?" I ask.

"I'm saying, maybe you should move in." Edward tells me, looking directly into my eyes, green eyes bright. I stare at him, wondering if he is truly serious.

"What do you think Maggie? Should Bella come live with us?" He asks, turning toward her.

"Like forever? No more Bella apartment?" She asks him.

"That's what I'm saying." He tells her, rubbing their noses together.

"I'd like that." Maggie says, looking up at me with the same sparkling green eyes as her father.

"What do you say, Bella? Move in with us?" He asks, quirking his eyebrow at me.

"I'd love to." I tell him. Them. I'm not sure who smiles, wider, Maggie or Edward, but I know my face wears a matching one. Grabbing me by the hand Edward pulls me close and kisses me hard on the lips.

"Eww. Stop." Maggie says, pushing us apart.

Grabbing my other hand, she looks at me, "Bella, now you can do my hair every morning and help me with math, cause daddy's bad at math. You can put me to bed too! And we can do more bakin'!"

Maggie continues to list the reasons why she's glad I'm moving in and while I listen to the sweet little girl ramble, I'm just glad they want me to.


	46. Chapter 46

**_"_****_Whenever I'm alone with you. You make me feel like I am whole again," – Lovesong by Adele (Album: 21) _**

"I feel like I'm dying." I groan, rolling over in bed and curling into myself. Edward merely laughs at my theatrics and rubs my back gently.

"It's only food poisoning." He assures. The left over Mexican food we had, went straight into the trash, and this is what I get for wanting tamales. I groan again as my stomach cramps up and plead to my body to let me rest before another bathroom run.

"Why are you still here?" I ask him. "Aren't you going to miss an event or something?"

Edward agreed to a book signing with a Q&A for some lucky fans, just a few hours away from here. And because of my abrupt sickness, he was running late.

"I can be late." He tells me.

"Really?" I ask.

"It's not like it can start without me." He says, and I catch a hint of smirk as I run past him and to the bathroom to throw up. Again.

"Maybe I should cancel." Edward muses, handing me a glass of water to rinse my mouth when I'm finished.

"Don't do that." I tell him, after swishing the water around in my mouth and spitting into the sink. "Your fans will be disappointed."

"I don't want to leave you like this." He says, helping me back to bed.

Looking him in the eye I tell him, "You don't have a choice. Go and do your thing. Hopefully this will pass after 24 hours and I'll be better. Plus, all you'd be doing is watching me vomit, which is not entertaining and extremely unattractive."

Edward smiles at me, "You're always attractive." I scoff at him and shake my head. After re-filling my water glass and leaving me with a box of saltine crackers, Edward kisses me on the forehead.

"Alice says she and Jasper can keep Maggie for the night. And I'll call to check on you every couple hours, okay?" He says.

"Okay!" I say, waving him off. "Now go, have fun signing things."

"Love you!" He says, walking out the bedroom door.

"You too." I tell him, before groaning again from pain.

The rest of my day is filled between getting sick and sleeping, with Edward calling every few hours to check on me. The next day when I wake, though, I'm feeling 100 percent better. No more aches and pains or runs to the bathroom to throw-up. I was able to keep down some toast for breakfast. Seeming as if my illness was only a 24 hour bug.

Sitting down on the couch I make a couple phone calls. First to Rosalie to let her know I will be in today- before being told that I was to take one more day off, "just in case". Second I called Alice to tell her I can take Maggie for the night, and after assuring her I was fine I make my last phone call to Edward, his book signing got extended to another day because of the turnout they had.

Edward assures me he'll be home late tonight, if not early tomorrow. He was being dragged out tonight to do some schmoozing with publication big whizzes. And after insisting that Alice could watch Maggie another night I assure him that Maggie and I would be fine.

That night after sleeping restlessly for a few hours, I'm awoken by a little body climbing onto the bed and shaking my shoulder with her little hand. Cracking my eyes open I confirm it is Maggie and not some tiny little cuddling burglar.

"Maggie, what's going on?" I ask, sitting up and leaning my head onto my hand.

"I can't sleep. I miss Daddy." She whispers. I smile sadly at her, and the pout on her face.

Laying back down I pull her into my side. "I miss him too." I say. "But he'll be home tomorrow."

"You promise?" She asks, curling into me.

"I promise. You can sleep with me tonight, and we'll miss him together." I tell her.

She giggles, but just barely. "Thanks Bella."

Kissing the top of her head, I say, "Goodnight Maggie, I love you."

Closing my eyes, I start to drift off with the little, warm body next to me, when I hear her say, "I love you too." Her voice a whisper in the dark as I hug her to me tighter, even more grateful for what I have.

The next morning, I awake with a start to the bedroom door opening, sitting up, with my eyes wide with surprise I see Edward stranding there. His suit ruffled from a long drive, his eyes tired from long hard days, but there's a soft smile on his face as he looks over at the bed. Maggie laying on her stomach, one arm curling under her pillow the other thrown over my stomach.

His green eyes meet mine and he smiles bright. Yanking off his tie, he lets it fall to the ground followed by his suit jacket and button up shirt as he toes off his shoes, his pants falling to the ground last. Leaving him in his underwear and socks, he comes over to me, and kisses me soundly.

"I missed you." He says against my lips, his thumb gently rubbing over my cheek.

"I missed you more," I tell him.

"Not possible." He says, pecking my lips, once, twice.

Walking over to the other side of the bed, he slide in next to Maggie, kissing her quickly on the back of her head before laying down. I follow suit, and it feels nice. The two of us with Maggie in the middle.

Our little family


	47. Chapter 47

**_"_****_And I see my future in you," – I'll be Waiting by Adele (Album: 21) _**

Waking up and making love as the sunrises is my new favorite thing. I glance over at Edward, he's lying on his side, head propped up on his hand looking down at me.

"I love you." I tell him with a soft smile.

"Marry me." He says. My eyes widen in shock.

"What?"

"Marry me." He requests again, a smirk forming on his face. I sit up in bed than, bringing the sheet up with me to cover my naked body. Edward mimics by actions and sits up as well.

"You want to get married?" I ask.

My heads spinning, we've never talked about this. I'm half asleep still, trying to wake-up and process his request.

"I want to go away with you and get married. Just you, me, and Maggie." Edward tells me.

"Today?" I ask

"Today, tomorrow," He shrug. "As soon as we can,"

I think about it, what life being married to Edward would be like and I realize, it would be just like this. Waking up to the love of my life every day, helping Maggie get ready for school, and then coming home to the both of them at the end of the day. I smile wide.

Edward matches my grin, taking my hands in his, "Last time baby," he laughs, "Marry me?"

It's a question this time, said with the upmost seriousness.

"Yes," I tell him, the grin never leaving my face.

Edward smiles wider, launching himself at me we fall to the bed with him over me as he kisses me deep.

After waking Maggie up and packing our bags we drive to Portland to get married. Edward drives as I book a hotel online before researching marriage licenses. Getting into town our first stop is at the court house, we get our marriage license and for an extra fee we're able to get the three day waiting period waived.

After lunch we split up, Edward goes to a jewelry store to pick out our rings while Maggie and I enter a nearby shop looking for dresses. Finding my dream dress feel like a feat in and of its self, luckily the store clerks are able to find me just that.

Hitting just below my knees the ivory dress is adorned with flowers on the skirt and beading at the top continuing to the small capped sleeves. The dress Maggie picks out is adorable, matching mine in color the flowy dress reached just above her ankles with lace adorning the neckline and ruffled sleeves. After making our purchase, we meet back up with Edward and head to the hotel.

"We're getting married tomorrow," Edward whispers in my ear. Watching Maggie play in the hotel pool, we're cuddled up on a lounge chair- my back to his front, his arms wrapping around me.

"Yes, we are." I laugh. I haven't been able to stop smiling since I said 'yes'.

"Thank you for saying yes," He tells me, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

Turning my head I look up at him. "Thanks for asking," I say softly and press a kiss to his lips.


	48. Chapter 48

**_"_****_I dare you to let me be, your one and only," – One and Only by Adele (Album: 21) _**

"I'm a believer in fate, you know this. I believe that fate brought us together once before and separated us for a reason," I squeeze Maggie's hand in mine, my eyes never leaving Edward.

I'm in my wedding dress, standing across from my soon-to-be husband in a court house ceremony in a judge's chambers. Maggie stands next to me, our rings clenched tightly in her little fist.

"And I believe fate brought us together again. And I could never be more thankful to have you in my life. Forever this time. And I can never thank you enough for bringing me to Maggie," I look down at Maggie, with her little green eyes shining bright and happy.

"You two are the best thing in my life and I am so glad fate brought me back to you." Tears leak from my eyes as I finish. Edward releases my hand to cup my cheek and wipe the tears away. Leaning close he kisses me delicately on the forehead.

Leaning back he says, "You are a gift to us and we are grateful." Maggie leans over and hugs my waist.

"We could not have asked for someone as kind, selfless, and loving as you to enter our lives. I know it's been a journey for us, years in the making, but we found each other again and this time it's for the rest of our lives." He vows, "I love you."

"I love you." I echo.

At the judges request Maggie gives us each a gold band, and one at a time they are slipped on ring fingers by shaking hands. And then with a kiss and signature from the judge, we are pronounced husband and wife.

We make love that night as husband and wife. Being as quiet as we can from our little hotel room with Maggie sleeping on the pull out couch behind closed doors. It's gentle and loving.

He kisses me and touches me in all the right places to bring me to completion before sliding into my heat. He thrusts slowly, unhurried as our hands tangle on the sides of my head, our wedding bands clinking together with every thrust forward. Kissing me between heavy breaths his pace speeds up until he shatters, groaning out my name as he does.


	49. Chapter 49

**_"_****_Nothing is better than this. And this is everything we need," – Take It All by Adele (Album: 21) _**

Upon our return home, things return to normal. I go back to work and Maggie goes back to school.

Phone calls are made to family and friends about our impromptu nuptials, we're met with shocked and happy responses. My mother and his cry. His dad proceeds to book us what he calls 'a real honeymoon.' Emmett and Rosalie take us out for drinks along with Alice and Jasper. Our wedding reception as Rose calls it.

But in the end, Edward and I return home cuddling up on the couch watching a princess movie with our own little princess seated between us. I look over at him- this boy I loved as a teenager turned into the man I'm spending the left of my life with. And a little girl who holds my heart, leaning her little body against me as she falls asleep.

My life for so long had been spent being all about dance- moving to the music with leaps and twirls- it's now that I realize what I would have given up, if things and been different.

I guess fate is a funny thing.


	50. Epilogue

**_"_****_And there is something, 'bout the way you love me," – Sweetest Devotion by Adele (Album: 25)_**

"What should we name her?" I ask, looking down at the new life I'd just brought into the world.

The honeymoon Edward's dad had purchased us went to good use and nine months later, I gave birth to our daughter.

"You should name her after you, Mommy," Maggie tells me, seated at my side she scoots onto her knees to see her little sister more clearly.

'Mommy' has been something of a recent development in the last months. After telling Maggie she was going to be a sister, she had asked what the baby would call Edward and myself.

"Well sweetheart, the baby will also call me 'daddy' and Bella will be "mommy," Edward explained. After a nervous few minutes of silence for Edward and I, Maggie climbed onto my lap.

"Bella? Can you also be my mommy?" She asked, looking up at me with her dad's eyes and the sweetest smile.

Holding her tight, I told her yes through my tears.

"Okay." Maggie said, missing the significance of the moment just like any six year old would, she jumped down, running off to play with her toys.

Edward wrapped his arms around my shoulder, pulling me into his side as I lean back into the couch. "We should send that paperwork in." He told me.

After our wedding Edward had adoption paperwork filled out we had just been waiting for the right time to complete it. And with one signature, a postage stamp, and authorization from a judge- Maggie was mine.

"You want to name her Isabella?" I ask Maggie.

"We can call her Izzy." She tells me.

I look over at Edward, standing beside my hospital bed, he ghosts his finger over our baby's cheek. He's barley left my side since I went into labor. Our family had already been in to see us. Rosalie, who just a few months ago had her own baby, a little boy named Henry, had dropped Maggie off to us. Edward's parents and sister came after the baby was born, marveling over this new life.

"What do you think Edward?" I ask, not wanting to shut down Maggie's suggestion but not wanting to name the child after myself.

"Charlotte." He says, his piercing green eyes locking into mine. "For you dad."

With my free hand I palm his cheek bringing him down to my level and pressing a single kiss to his lips.

"Our little Charlie." I say, looking down at my daughter, her brown eyes looking at the world in amazement.

"Charlotte Isabella Masen." Edward announces, scooping our daughter up and into his arms as Maggie cuddles into my side. "Welcome to the family."


End file.
